Partners

The Sustainable Polymer Synthesis Group is a part of the department Aachen-
Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM) of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) at Maastricht University (UM), the youngest university in the Netherlands with a strong international outlook with a focus on high-quality and innovative research. Research at UM is carried out in multidisciplinary teams and in close cooperation with institutes, businesses, industries and organizations all over the world.
The AMIBM conducts research on biobased materials in a so-called value chain approach, spanning new and modified high quality biological sources, new chemical building blocks, new polymer chemistry and polymer physics, polymer processing and innovative technical and medical textile applications. Within AMIBM, the Sustainable Polymer Synthesis Group focuses on the design and synthesis of sustainable polymer materials with tunable properties for the circular economy. Sustainability entails biobased building blocks (but no biorefinery) instead of fossil raw materials, green routes for polymer synthesis and processing, as well as chemical recycling/reprocessing methods (biodegradability, depolymerization, dynamic bonds) to make the end-of life of polymers more sustainable.

The Sustainable Polymer Synthesis Group of Maastricht University acts as the project coordinator and leads both WP3 and WP7. In WP3 (Synthesis of high-performance biobased polymers and copolymers), UM is responsible for synthesizing and characterizing high performance biobased polyamides (PAs) and polybenzimidazoles (PBIs), which are key materials for automotive and anion exchange membrane applications.
The work is carried out in parallel by two distinct teams, each focusing on one of the polymer types, but both are equally important for achieving the project goals. Both teams then work on enhancing the mechanical and chemical properties of the polymers through post-modifications, copolymerization, and blending. In WP7 (Project & Innovation Management), UM oversees the strategic and operational management of the BIOPYRANIA project, ensuring that all activities are aligned with the project’s overall objectives. This includes coordinating decision-making processes, facilitating communication among partners, and monitoring the progress of the project, managing risks, assessing the project’s scientific and technological advancements, and identifying opportunities for innovation and commercialization, and develop of research data management strategies.

Associate Professor dr. Katrien Bernaerts, leader of the Sustaible Polymer Synthesis group at AMIBM, BIOPYRANIA Coordinator. Gabriel Domingues Gonçalves, PhD student Davide Illari, PhD Student

CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT

Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. (CRF) was founded in 1976 as the Fiat Group’s major source of expertise in innovation, research and development. CRF’s objective is to use innovation as a strategic lever and to enhance the results of its work through the promotion, development and transfer of innovative content able to make products distinctive and competitive. It is therefore able to play an active role in the technological growth of the Fiat Group, its partners and the community in areas such as powertrain, in collaboration with FPT Powertain Technologies, vehicles and components, safe and environmentally friendly mobility, telematics, new materials and relative technologies, mechatronics and optics, energy.

CRF represents the automotive sector as final end user. CRF work in WP1 providing the requirements and KPIs for automotive sector as End User. CRF will contribute to define the Milestone about the final automotive application (busbar, cover for inverter, enclosure for battery) and the final materials characterization phase and in its validation, based on the material application, and to carry out environmental aging tests following the specifications of the automotive sector, mechanical (static and dynamic), thermal, dielectric and chemical- physical characterizations, linked to the evaluation of bio performance materials for thermal and electrical insulation, always comparing with benchmark materials.

The business unit involved is Sustainable Raw Materials / Material Technical Expertise / Material for electrification Department.

Renzo Costa, Global Lead for Electronics Materials

Antonino Veca, Senior Materials Specialist for polymers HV insulations.

ENCO CONSULTING

ENCO Srl is an innovative consulting company based in Naples and Milan, in Italy, active since 1987 and specialized in providing services and support to private companies and research centers in the entire cycle of the Innovation Management. With more than 30 years’ experience in turning ideas into innovative solutions and a skilled, passionate and international team – ENCO assists its clients with highly specialized services in R&D&I projects (Horizon Europe, PRIMA, H2020), providing tailor made support and guidance from the proposal development to the project implementation: communication, dissemination, exploitation, marketing, business development. The company has a long track record participating in EU-funded projects as WP leader, task leader and project coordinator.

ENCO is the WP6 (Dissemination, awareness, exploitation & market uptake) leader. ENCO will be involved in the stakeholder analysis and building of the engagement awareness strategy, day-by-day management of communication channels and dissemination activities, development of the project C&D materials, definition of the best exploitation, market analysis, knowledge protection strategies, designing of business plan, and building networking and synergies with relevant projects and activities.

Marco De la Feld, Director General

Angela Marzorati, Head of Communication & Dissemination

BIO BASE EUROPE PILOT PLANT

Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is an independent, state-of-the-art facility that operates from a laboratory level to a multi-ton scale. A service provider for process development, scale-
up and custom manufacturing of biobased products and processes. A wide and flexible spectrum of modular unit operations combined with the experience of our highly competent engineers and technicians enables us to translate your biobased lab protocol into a viable industrial process. Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant enables the conversion of renewable feedstocks into biochemicals, biomaterials, biofuels and other bioproducts by using technologies such as biomass pretreatment, biocatalysis, (gas)fermentation, green chemistry and product recovery and purification.

BBEPP is WP2 (From biomass to raw materials/building blocks) leader, enabling the valorization of renewable biomass streams into monomers for polymerization into high-added value polymers, via pretreatment of the FIBENOL woody biomass into fermentable sugars, fermentation of sugars into amino acids and their purification, and chemical conversion of amino acids into monomers. As a pilot facility, BBEPP will scale up the fermentation process from woody residues to amino acids, developed by partner USAAR, up to TRL5, hence providing sufficient biobased amino acid building blocks for monomer and polymer synthesis at pilot level by B4PLASTICS.

BBEPP’s R&D team is involved in the BIOPYRANIA project, bringing in key expertise in fermentation and downstream processing process development and first scale-up.

B4PLASTICS

B4Plastics is a Belgian Biopolymer Tech Company specialised in: CREATING (R&D), PRODUCING (up to kton), SELLING and LICENSING novel biomaterials, based on a unique range of Bio Based Building Blocks (hence the B4), tailored to an extended variety of applications. You can choose when our biomaterials will start to break down (= biodegrade), making sure they last as long as you need them to — without leaving harmful microplastics behind!

OUR COMPANY STRUCTURE:

We have an R&D Centre for the screening and scaling of new Biomaterials from gram to ton scale.

• A second R&D Centre that focusses on biodegradability of Biomaterials and biocatalysis processes.

• Beyond that, our PRODUCTION Centre supplies ready-made Biomaterials up to 1 Kton.

• Furthermore, our Tech Platforms are organised in a LICENSING House for Tech Transfers to your own equipment.

• Last but not least, we transform our technologies into prototyped bio-end-products that you can use and experience in your daily life – eg.: Tie Wraps, Brushes, Drinking straws, 3D Filament, –Cutting boards, Bioclips for plants and vegetables, Plant pots,…..

Our materials provide loads of new Sustainability features, not compromising on the performance of traditional fossil-based materials.

FEATURES:

• More biobased

• Short cycling carbon content (biobased or recycled)

• Biodegradable

• Energy saving processing

• Controlled biodegradability or smarter recyclability

B4Plastics main activities are the upscaling of the pyrazine monomers and the polymers thereof i.e. polyamides and polybenzimidazoles. The involvement is mainly related to WP2 focusing on the upscaling of biobased pyrazine monomers, WP3 focusing on polyamide and polybenzimidazole upscaling and on post -modification of pyrazine- based polymers and surfaces.

Ilse Maes, R&D Project Manager, R&D Centre for screening and scaling of new Biomaterials

Kristièn Van Tilburg, R&D Scientist, R&D Centre for the screening and scaling of new Biomaterials

Stefaan De Wildeman, Director B4Plastics

Other colleagues: Kim Van der Heul, Glenn Gullix, R&D team

UNIVERSITY OF SAARLANDS

The University of Saarland, located in Saarbrücken, Germany, is a globally recognized institution known for its cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation-driven education. Its commitment to fostering a vibrant academic environment has positioned it as a leader in fields like computer science, bioinformatics, nanotechnology, and life sciences. The Institute of Systems Biotechnology (iSBio) is a distinguished research lab within the university that focuses on harnessing biotechnological processes for sustainable and innovative applications. With a strong emphasis on systems biology, the iSBio integrates molecular biology, computational modeling, and bioengineering to study and optimize complex microbial systems. The institute’s work spans diverse areas, including metabolic engineering, bioprocess development, and industrial biotechnology, contributing to advancements in pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and bio-based materials.

Within WP2 USAAR will engineer genetically stable and safe Corynebacterium glutamicum cell factories for biobased production of GLU and 5-ALA from 2G biomass (FIB). Strain engineering will be supported by systems biological multi-omics analyses and metabolic modelling to derive novel genetic targets for strain improvement.

Additionally, lab-scale bioprocesses for both products will be developed and optimized for reproducible and well controlled fermentation and product purification to be scale-up (BBEPP).

Prof. Christoph Wittmann, Group leader and principal investigator

Dr.-Ing. Michael Kohlstedt, Research bioengineer

M.Sc. Franka Janz, PhD student

M.Sc. Hagen von Strünck, PhD student

IRES

IRES is a Brussels-based R&D consulting firm with high expertise in the domains of Data science, Risk and (nano)Safety, and Sustainability, providing world-class innovative solutions. The IRES team consists of chemical engineers, physicists, materials and data scientists, delivering world class innovative solutions. IRES has an extensive network of partners and is involved in several EC- funded projects.

IRES is WP5 (Safety, sustainability and techno economic assessment) leader, and technically involved in WP1, undertaking the activities related to digital methodologies for predicting molecular properties, occupational risk assessment & Safe-By Design approach as well as environmental and cost life cycle assessment. In WP1, IRES will apply digital methodologies and ML driven approach to predict molecular properties from polymer molecular structures to accelerate the development for the new pyrazine based biobased materials and will perfom LCA and LCC on novel biobased (PA and PBI) materials.
In WP5, IRES will implement the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) methodology to evaluate in terms of materials hazards and occupational risks the new pyrazine based biobased materials and processes.

Dimitris Kanakis, Data Science group member

Anastasia Kaisariti, Risk & (nano) safety group member

Dr. Spyros Damilos, Risk & (nano) safety group leader

Anastasia Gkika, Sustainability & circularity group leader

Nikoletta Kontouli, Sustainability & circularity group member

Mihaela Petrakli, Dissemination manager

HYDROLITE

HYDROLITE Ltd. is a SME located in Caesarea, Israel, wholly owned by Elbit Systems. Hydrolite’s mission is to develop the best technology for low cost, mass-produced AEM fuel cell and electrolyzer systems. The company holds a world-leading position as a developer of a unique low-cost AEM Fuel Cell (FC) and Electrolyzer (EL) technologies, enabling operation with low-cost catalysts and structural materials, while maintaining the strong advantages of a membrane electrolyte technology: a semi-solid-state power source and hydrogen generation system. With ten years of experience in development of AEM technology, Hydrolite is the world leader in the field, with core expertise in all areas of AEM device technology from basic materials to systems deployment. Key technology assets are covered by an extensive patent portfolio. The company is heavily research and engineering focused, while benefiting from the experience and reputation of Elbit Systems, a global presence with a recognized ability to bring new technologies to market.

Hydrolite, is leading WP1 (User requirements and test design) focusing on the establishment of specifications and test design for energy and automotive sector, with the collaboration of partners CRF, IRES, USAAR and UM.In addition, it is involved in WP4 focusing on polymer characterization and validation as anion exchange membranes for fuel cells and electrolyzer technologies, in collaboration with partners TECNALIA and UM.

Ervin Tal Gutelmacher, Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, and CEO

Anna Kitayev, CRO, Ph.D. in Chemistry.

ARKEMA

Arkema is a worldwide leader in specialty materials. Building on its unique set of expertise in materials science, Arkema designs materials to address the ever-growing demand for innovative and sustainable materials, driven by the challenges of new energies, new technologies, the depletion of resources, clean mobility and increasing urbanization. The Group is structured into three coherent and complementary segments dedicated to Specialty Materials (Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials, and Coating Solutions) accounting for more than 90% of its sales, and an Intermediates segment leveraging competitive and global product lines. Each of the business segments benefits from a global leadership position for most of its business, a great capacity for innovation oriented towards sustainable development and environmental protection and a global geographical presence balanced between America, Europe and Asia.

ARKEMA is involved in WP4 and focused mainly on the development of (co)polyamides and blends in electrical vehicles. Arkema will receive polymer from UM and will investigate processability via (mini)extrusion, hot pressing and/or injection molding and establish the right processing conditions and polymer blending with reinforcing fillerslike (natural) fiber.

RESOLVED TECHNOLOGIES

ReSolved Technologies develops, uses and markets its proprietary mechanical and solvent-based recycling technologies for plastic waste. The company is dedicated to increasing the circularity of plastics by producing recycled material of very-high purity that is beyond reach with the current state of the art.

The main role of ReSolved Technologies is to (co-)develop mechanical and hydrothermal recycling processes for the biobased polymers PA and PBI. In WP4, ReSolved will develop a suitable waste collection strategy and mechanical/hydrothermal recycling processes to turn PA and PBI waste into high quality recycled materials that are suited for virgin polymer replacement in closed loop. A final recycling concept will be developed to remove all relevant contaminants and convert the pre-treated waste into a high purity recycled material.

Norbert Fraunholcz, CEO

Kevin Hoeijmakers, CFO

Luca Loise, Senior project engineer

FIBENOL

Fibenol is an Estonian cleantech company committed to helping the material and chemical industries move beyond fossil-based chemicals in their value chains. Its state of-the-art wood valorization pre-treatment process, Sunburst, transforms over 90% of residual and lower quality hardwood into novel biomaterials—lignin, wood sugars, and specialty cellulose—all produced at our flagship plant in Estonia following zero-waste principles. Fibenol’s biomaterials replace fossil -based chemicals, supporting the defossilization of the material and chemical industries. Our low-carbon biomaterials are designed for various applications, from construction materials and biocomposites to PF resins and beyond.

Fibenol’s main role is in WP2 – From biomass to biobased building blocks. Fibenol will supply cellulosic sugars (xylose and glucose-rich streams) and lignin from lower- quality hardwood. Additionally, Fibenol will optimize sugar production based on the growth requirements of downstream process microorganisms. Finally, Fibenol will also provide woody sugars for scale-up runs. These pyrazine-based materials have the potential to revolutionize high performance applications, particularly in the automotive and green hydrogen sectors.

Nikki Sjulander, Cellulosic Sugars Technical Sales Engineer

Signe Reinumägi, Grants Project Coordinator

BIOG3D

BioG3D is a company established in 2017, and headquartered in Pireaus, Greece, specializing in Integrative Additive Manufacturing solutions for both medical and non-
medical applications. Its services commit to end-to end digital manufacturing and human-
centric approaches through the development of workflows and frameworks for product development and prototyping, tailored material solutions, advanced design performance, customized additive manufacturing systems, and materials evaluation in terms of application requirements, materials safety and toxicity screening during process and use-phase.

BioG3D is involved in WP5, and it is responsible for the evaluation of the safety and potential health impacts of materials developed within the project, ensuring they meet regulatory and health standards. This role involves the in vitro toxicity assessment of the monomers and the polymers that will be developed within BIOPYRANIA, using specific cell lines relevant to the application. Cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity will be measured to assess the biological effects of these materials. Additionally, microscopy will be used to evaluate morphological changes, providing critical insights into risks associated with respiratory and dermal exposure.

Despoina Ntenekou PhD, Biologist

Anna Karatza MSc, Materials Engineer Project Manager Lead.

TECNALIA

TECNALIA is the largest applied research and technological development centre in Spain, a European benchmark and member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. The centre works with companies and institutions to increase their competitiveness, the quality of life of people and achieve sustainable growth.
TECNALIA mission is to transform technological research into prosperity. TECNALIA vision is to be the agents of change in companies and society, adapting them to the challenges of a constantly evolving future.

TECNALIA is WP4 ((Co)polymer/blend validation and recycling) leader working mainly for the development of anion exchange membranes starting from a scale of 5 cm2 to > 50 cm2 in close collaboration with UM as polymer provider and Hydrolite for device testing.
Tecnalia will also coordinate entire WP4 activities.