Webinar Recap: High Performance Bio-Based Polymers

On 24 September 2024, the FURIOUS and THERMOFIRE projects held their first joint webinar, titled “High Performance Bio-Based Polymers: State of the Art and Challenges in Ending Plastic Waste”. This event brought together researchers and experts to discuss the latest advancements in bio-based polymers, their potential to tackle the global plastic waste crisis, and the challenges that remain.

Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), both projects aim to create sustainable solutions that replace traditional, fossil-based materials. In this webinar, attendees gained insights into ongoing research, including preliminary results, and heard directly from leading scientists in the field. Below, we recap the key points and takeaways from the event.

Introducing the FURIOUS Project

Debora Puglia, the FURIOUS project coordinator and Associate Professor in Material Science and Technology, opened the event by introducing the objectives and progress of the FURIOUS project. FURIOUS is dedicated to the development of furan-based polymers, a class of bio-based materials with promising applications for reducing plastic waste.

In this presentation, dr. Puglia explained the basics of furan-based polymers -derived from renewable sources and possessing properties similar to conventional plastics-, a suitable alternative for packaging and other industrial applications. Her presentation highlighted the importance of the research in furan-based polymers and their applications, especially in fields that need stringent operative conditions. She also showed the state of the art in the research of polymers deriving from furanic acid and how FURIOUS is contributing to advancing the state of the art. 

Watch dr. Puglia’s presentation and download it.

Advances in Furan-Based Polymers made by the FURIOUS project

Following dr. Puglia’s introduction, Nadia Lotti, a Full Professor at the University of Bologna, delved deeper into the technical aspects of the FURIOUS project. Nadia’s research in polymer chemistry focuses on the synthesis and characterization of bio-based plastics, with an emphasis on renewable materials for food packaging and biomedical use.

In her presentation, dr. Lotti shared exciting developments from her team’s research on furan-based polymers, particularly regarding their durability and performance in various industrial settings. She discussed the preliminary results about the purity of the monomer produced with 2,5-FDCA and the subsequent PBF extrusion. The product obtained has been tested to obtain flexible plastic materials. 

Watch dr. Lotti’s presentation and download it.

Exploring Bio-Based Fire Retardants: The THERMOFIRE Project

The webinar then shifted focus to the THERMOFIRE project, introduced by Elvira Villaro Ábalos, project coordinator and expert in advanced materials. THERMOFIRE aims to develop bio-based fire retardants, which offer a safer and more sustainable alternative to conventional chemical retardants.

Dr. Villaro Abalos, with her PhD in Chemistry and extensive experience in nanomaterials like graphene, explained the role of bio-based fire retardants in improving the safety and sustainability of materials used in construction, transportation, and other sectors. Her work at Avanzare Materials has centred on R&D projects focused on advanced composites, making her an invaluable leader for the THERMOFIRE project.

Dr. Villaro Abalos’s presentation covered the technical advancements made by her team, such as the use of renewable resources to create fire-retardant materials with reduced environmental impact. These materials aim to meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-performance products across industries.

Watch dr. Villaro Abalos’s presentation and download it.

Roundtable Discussion: Scaling Bio-Based Solutions

One of the highlights of the webinar was the roundtable discussion, which brought together all the speakers to address some of the most pressing questions in the field of bio-based polymers. The discussion focused on the potential of these solutions to reshape industries and reduce environmental harm, but also acknowledged the challenges in scaling them to a global level.

After the presentations from the speakers, Dr. Debora Puglia, Dr. Nadia Lotti and Dr. Elvira Villaro Ábalos engaged in a discussion on the potential of bio-based materials for the industry. They underlined the importance of collaboration to scale up bio-based solutions in different fields. They also discussed the relevance of the feedstock that is used to prepare bio-based components, so that these materials are accepted by the market. The discussion offered valuable insights into the collaborative efforts required to drive the bio-based economy forward and the importance of funding programs that prioritize sustainability and innovation.

Explore more insights from the roundtable discussion here.

Access Webinar Materials

If you missed the event or would like to revisit some of the presentations, we have made all materials from the webinar available. You can now download the following resources:

• Full recording of the webinar
• Presentation slides from each speaker

You can access the materials here.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Bio-Based Polymers

The webinar clearly demonstrated that bio-based polymers, such as those being developed by FURIOUS and THERMOFIRE, hold immense potential to reduce our dependence on fossil-based plastics and create a more sustainable future. As research progresses and these solutions scale, the collaboration between scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers will be critical in bringing these innovations to market.

We thank everyone who participated in the webinar and contributed to the lively discussions. If you have any additional questions or would like to engage with the FURIOUS and THERMOFIRE teams, please reach out via our social media channels. 

We look forward to continuing this important work toward a furan-tastic future!