BE-UP: Boosting the Industrial Uptake of Biodegradable polymers for packaging applications by implementing digital tools and advanced techniques to achieve a holistic sustainability goal

Within the Be-UP project, new synthesis and processing routes are developed for novel aliphatic-aromatic biopolyesters with increased renewable content using biobased building blocks (e.g., 1,4 bio-BDO), alongside innovative catalysts and additives. These components are optimized through advanced digital modelling tools, based on Kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) models, for synthesis and polymerization. These biopolyesters are blended with commercial biopolymers (e.g., PLA, PBAT, and PHA), biobased chain extenders, and mineral fillers to create bioplastic packaging materials.

 

The design of these blends employs advanced compounding modelling tools, supported by techniques like screw design and inline rheology measurements, to achieve the target technical performance, sustainability, and biodegradation goals using multi-objective function evaluation. Processability is also a key factor, with a focus on the primary production techniques used in the packaging industry, namely, blown film extrusion, injection moulding, and thermoforming. A set of packaging products’ prototypes (TRL7) is manufactured to validate the developed materials. The biodegradability of these novel products is assessed in different End-of-life (EoL) scenarios, including open environments and controlled conditions, thus making it possible to fill the gap between laboratory conditions and real end-of-life behaviour of these materials.

 

Additionally, the recyclability of the new products is evaluated. The data and conclusions of these assessments are useful for: i) the development of guidelines and tools for circular design contributing to the adoption of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Framework; ii) contributing to improve the standardization framework for testing and labelling of materials and packaging products. Be-UP is expected to replace more than 50,000 tonnes in 2032 of non-biodegradable plastics, leading to savings of over 120,000 CO2​ eq tonnes yearly.

Our main tasks

• Data methodology and required ontologies
• Development of the biodegradation modelling
• Development of simulation tools and BE-UP platform

Partners

ITENE | HYBRID CATALYSIS | PARTICULA GROUP | ISOTECH | EUROPEAN BIOPLASTICS | POLINIVO | IDENER.AI | NORMEC OWS | CEBIMAT LAB | INNOTECH | NOVAMONT | POLYMERIS | IMERYS | FAKULTETA ZA TEHNOLOGIJO POLIMEROV | ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE NORMALIZACIÓN | APTAR | UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRIESTE

Start date – finish date

05 / 2025 - 04 / 2028