SaferWorldbyDesign: Biophenol-based Materials Development according to Safe and Sustainable by Design principles
In this webinar, Marc Borrega will introduce the BioPhenom project: Common materials found in a wide range of end products and applications are often formulated with unsustainable petrochemicals, many of which are substances of very high concern (SVHC) due to their harmful effects on the environment and human health. Examples of materials containing SVHC include bisphenol-based thermoset epoxy resins, PAN-based carbon fibres, and wood or any other material treated with synthetic preservatives and flame retardants.
Many materials used in our daily life are produced from unsustainable petrochemicals that are also often substances of very high concern (SVHC) because of their harmful effects on the environment and human health. Moreover, the recyclability of materials containing SVHC is very challenging and thus a large share of the hazardous waste generated in Europe is still landfilled or incinerated, perpetuating the pollution of our ecosystems. The BioPhenom project (https://biophenomproject.eu), co-funded by the European Union (Grant 101135107), the Innovate UK Council (Grant 1005409), and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (Grant 24.00212), explores the utilization of biophenols from biomass sidestreams for replacement of SVHC in the development of safe, sustainable, and recyclable materials.
BioPhenom starts with a scoping of the most potential lignocellulosic sidestreams from forest, agro, and food industries in terms of availability, biophenol content, logistics, and valorization opportunities. After selection and collection of sidestreams, the biophenols are isolated by applying two established technologies such as liquid extraction or fast pyrolysis to accelerate the industrial implementation. The biophenols are then explored for replacement of fossil and harmful preservatives, flame retardants, and chemical building blocks typically used in wood products, thermoset epoxy resins, carbon fibres, and thermoplastic composites. These materials are applied in a wide range of industries, including furniture, construction, transportation, automotive, aerospace, and electronics. The technologies and solutions developed in the project are guided by safety, environmental, economic, and social assessments according to the Safe and Sustainable by Design principles from the JRC.
Speaker: Marc Borrega (VTT)
Dr. Marc Borrega is a Principal Scientist and Project Manager at VTT. He has extensive experience in planning, executing, and coordinating R&D projects on composition, structure, properties, processing, and applications of lignocellulosic biomass. He holds a PhD in Wood Science from the University of Eastern Finland and has conducted postdoctoral research at both Aalto University (Finland) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology USA). His core expertise includes the biorefining of industrial bark and other lignocellulosic side-streams for development of bio-based products.
