Development of novel, high-performance bio-based polymers and co-polymers
TOPIC ID: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-04
Type of action
HORIZON-JU-RIA HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]
Deadline model
single-stage
Opening date
26 April 2023
Deadline date
20 September 2023 17:00:00 Brussels time
ExpectedOutcome:
In line with the objectives of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, Plastics Strategy and Industrial strategy, successful proposals will contribute to development of new, high performance materials for the European industry. Successful proposals may also contribute to achieving the objectives of the Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) and the Sustainable Textiles strategy.
Project results should contribute to the following expected outcomes:
- Availability of a broader range of bio-based products meeting market requirements;
- Unlocking new applications presently not covered by bio-based polymers;
- Improved sustainability, safety and circularity when compared to fossil-based (or bio-based) state-of-the-art benchmark(s);
- Evidence of promising product and process performance for reference applications in view of subsequent upscaling;
- Significant improvements in environmental performance across the value chain, against specified fossil and/or bio-based benchmarks;
- Improved circularity and resource efficiency via practical application of the circular (bio)economy concept.
Scope:
Many bio-based monomers and polymers are (relatively) new: while some are well characterised and already produced at industrial scale, there are hundreds of molecular structures with limited application outside the lab, which may be worth exploring in view of future upscaling and market uptake. Often, bio-based polymers have a limited application space in comparison with established fossil-based counterparts also due to some undesired properties (e.g. brittleness, low glass transition temperature). Co-polymerisation or blending with other materials could also be one way to provide a solution to overcome at least some of these issues, but research in the field is scarce due to their (relative) novelty and unavailability of materials in sufficient quantity (at least at pilot scale) to perform testing and characterisation.
Proposals under this topic should:
- Develop polymers with improved or unprecedented properties by:
- Polymerisation of bio-based monomers with no fossil-based counterpart to produce new polymers with unprecedented properties, and/or
- Co-polymerisation of (new or known) bio-based monomers to improve the properties of the copolymer with respect to the original polymer(s), and/or
- Blending of (new or known) bio-based polymers to obtain materials with novel, advanced properties
- Design the polymers so that they are able to match application requirements without using potentially hazardous additives and substances of concern in the end product formulations. Proposals need to specify the end applications sought and involve potential end users to provide specific application requirements.
- Develop pilot scale production and test the products against application requirements, demonstrating high performance and market suitability. Process design choices should take into account energy and resource efficiency showing the potential for future scale up.
- Perform a preliminary assessment of the safety, circularity and overall sustainability of the developed polymers in view of the subsequent scale-up phase. Circularity aspects should be considered from the early stages of material design, based on existing or novel end of life (EoL) options. In the absence of suitable EoL options, projects should highlight R&I gaps that may be taken up by future projects.
- Perform a preliminary techno-economic feasibility analysis of the subsequent scale-up phase, including market considerations (demand; target price; competing products; estimated lead time)
Proposals should also describe their contribution to the Specific CBE JU requirements, presented in section 2.2.3.1, and the Cross-cutting elements, highlighted in section 2.2.3.2 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023[1].
Where relevant, proposals should seek links with and capitalise on the results of past and ongoing EU funded projects[2].
[1]CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2023 (https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents)
[2]Proposals should consider ongoing and past projects, especially under BBI JU/CBE JU (for example those funded under the call HORIZON-JU-CBE- 2022-R-01) as well as H2020 but also HEU (Clusters 4 and 6)
Topic Eligibility and Documents: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/hori
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