SUSPENSE: Sustainable, safe, and high-performance bio-based adhesives for wood-based composites

Conventional, fossil-based adhesives pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. The SUSPENSE project directly confronts this challenge by developing innovative, safe, and sustainable bio-based alternatives designed to meet market demands and regulatory standards.

 

The project’s core mission is to create a new generation of high-performance adhesives using renewable feedstocks. To achieve this, SUSPENSE pursues two distinct technological pathways. The Acids Route uses bio-acids, hemicellulose sugars, and proteins to develop adhesives with high water resistance and strong bonding capabilities. In parallel, the Polyphenolics Route leverages natural compounds like functionalized lignin, chitosan, and proteins to produce adhesives with excellent bonding strength and moisture resistance.

 

These bio-based adhesives are specifically designed for demanding industrial applications, particularly for manufacturing wood-based panels (like Plywood, Particle Board, and MDF) and wood-based insulation materials. The project includes several demonstration cases, such as producing furniture with the new panels, to validate the performance and scalability of the solutions in real-world settings. A key innovation is also the validation of the adhesives’ ability to “debond,” a feature crucial for enabling the recyclability of the final products.

 

By creating these viable, bio-based adhesives, the SUSPENSE project aims to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, improve product circularity, and foster greater consumer acceptance of sustainable materials. This work contributes directly to the European Union’s strategic goals for a Circular Economy and a Zero Pollution future.

Our main tasks

• Integrated digitalization for sustainable bio-based adhesives, product modelling
• Demonstrate cost-competitiveness and markets for new solutions and increase consumer awareness
• Regulatory landscape analysis including a recommendation for supporting regulatory framework
• SSbD framework integration
• Dissemination & communication
• Exploitation and market development

Partners

CHIMAR HELLAS | AIDIMME | MONTINUTRA | CERTH | CETIM | FIBERWOOD | GARNICA | IDENER.AI | KASTAMONU ENTEGRE | MENEXES | NORSUS | TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN | UNIVERSITE COTE D'AZUR | UNIVERSITE DE LORRAINE | KAAKKOIS-SUOMEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU

Start date – finish date

10 / 2025 - 09 / 2029