White paper

Bio-π - Adaptive Concepts for a Circular Bioeconomy for Bioplastics

Abstract

This White Paper project targeted to investigate the future realisation of the full life-cycle of novel bioplastics within BioSC as bioplastics value chain, starting from biotechnologically produced platform chemicals, purification by novel electrochemical separation technology, polymerisation via tailored robust metal catalysts, to further valorization for use as high-performance bioplastics and final biodegradation and recycling studies. In order to truly achieve a full life-cycle, a tunable degradability with a direct feedback loop is key to design novel polymers derived from green monomers and allow for potential recycling, use as secondary feedstock or biodegradation for disposal. Based on work performed in the SeedFund project R2HPBio, the FocusLab HyImPAct and the WhitePaper project PlastiCycle, bioplastics will be studied for their potential to build up a full value creation chain within BioSC. Herefore, partners from different disciplines such as chemistry, biotechnology, engineering and economics join their forces for a meta-analysis of actual stakeholders and chances in BioSC and required measures in future to realise such a circular bioeconomy for bioplastics.

Project Coordinator

Prof. Dr. S. Herres-Pawlis, Chair of Bioinorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University
Prof. Dr. L. Hartmann, Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf

Partners

Prof. Dr.-Ing. A. Jupke, Chair of Fluid Process Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
Dr. S. Noack, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Microbial Phenotyping, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Prof. Dr. U. Schwaneberg, Chair of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, and DWI-Leibniz Institut für Interaktive Materialien,
Prof. Dr. G. Walther, Chair of Operations Management, School of Business and Economics, RWTH Aachen University
Prof. Dr. N. Wierckx, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Microbial Catalysis, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH

Funding period

01.02.2021 - 31.07.2021

Funding

Bio-π  is part of the NRW-Strategieprojekt BioSC and thus funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.