BIOTTEK

With BIOTTEK, we are focusing on developing biodegradable polyester yarns for use in textiles. Microplastics are released every time garments are washed. These particles are often so small that they are difficult to filter out of the water supply system. By developing biodegradable polyester yarn, the microplastics released during washing eventually degrade and environmental damage is minimized.

The reason for the project

The BIOTTEK project builds on the joint ambition to make the polymer industry in the region significantly more sustainable. In addition, knowledge institutions such as NHL Stenden and the University of Groningen, united under the banner of University of the North, are focusing on the subject of sustainable plastics with their departments and professorships. If these sustainability targets are not met, this could still lead to the departure of an entire industry.

Governments also recognize that this important and necessary ambition must be achieved in the relatively short term. The municipality of Emmen is making a major effort in the coming period to make its unique chemical industry more sustainable. The coalition agreement states the following: 'Together with our regional partners, we are committed to achieving a circular economy. An economy without wasting raw materials and with maximum reuse (recycling) of raw materials.”

What problem do we want to solve with BIOTTEK

We want to gather fundamental knowledge about biodegradable polyesters for a targeted number of future valorization tracks. Among the biopolymers currently available on the market, the problem often occurs that improved biodegradability leads to deteriorated thermal and mechanical properties. This makes these biopolymers mainly suitable for simpler applications such as films. 

In this project, the BIOTTEK consortium explicitly focuses on higher-value applications, such as technical fibers in textile yarns. Before biodegradable products can be developed in these application areas, we need to gather more knowledge to understand how the biodegradability of a biopolymer can be influenced and controlled. And also how this is related to the other thermal and mechanical properties. In this project, the consortium is developing this knowledge base that can be used to launch multiple sector- and application-specific valorization projects after this project.

The project team

Senbis Polymer Innovations B.V. develops high-quality applications in the field of polymers, in particular biopolyester and biodegradable polymers.

The Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM) is part of the University of Groningen (RUG). Its main objective is to explore fundamental knowledge regarding the use and development of new, sustainable materials.

NHL Stenden is a higher education institution with campuses in the Northern Netherlands and abroad. From the campuses in Emmen and Leeuwarden, practice-oriented research is carried out within the professorship Circular Plastics.

TNO is one of the European leaders in the field of Circular Plastics and plays a central role in the approved National Growth Fund project “Circular Plastics.NL”.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is a partnership between Wageningen University and the Wageningen Research Foundation. Within the WUR exists the research institute Food & Biobased Research, which focuses on the development of knowledge and technologies related to sustainable innovation in healthy food, fresh produce chains and biobased products.

Our approach

With the help of students, PhDs and postdocs from NHL Stenden and the University of Groningen, new polymers are synthesized, analyzed and then tested in various application areas. In order to develop targeted biodegradable polymers, more knowledge must also be gathered about the mechanisms behind biodegradation. Therefore, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is joining as an expert in this field to develop a method to make biodegradation reproducible. They are also looking at whether measurements can be carried out more quickly to gain more insight into the underlying processes.

Finally, this consortium aims to establish a fundamentally new approach to polymer chemistry through the use of artificial intelligence. TNO, using extensive datasets from the other partners, is investigating machine learning models that are able to specifically design new polymers with specific properties. This can rigorously accelerate research and development in polymer chemistry, which can already be benefited in this project.

Preliminary results

A series of new biopolymers have now been successfully developed. First at the gram scale, and then at the kilo scale. The properties of these materials have been mapped. Subsequently, biodegradability has also been tested. Degradability depends on the chemical composition of the material. The data obtained is input for the KI model that TNO is currently setting up.