RE-Fibre | Smart disassembly, functionalisation and reassembly of plant fibres for fully recyclable bio-based composites.

Original description

The building and construction sector are material intensive and heavily dependent on fossil-based synthetic ingredients, therefore are strong contributors to CO2 emissions globally and EU-wide. These industries are under tremendous pressure to find fully renewable alternatives with competitive performance. Natural fibres will play a pivotal role in enhancing the sustainability and resiliency of these industries and help Europe deliver on defossilization and Green Deal goals. However, the widespread utilization of wood- and other plant-fibre-based materials is hampered by the inherent natural variability and inhomogeneity of biomass and requires the assembly of plant fibres with fossil-based synthetic adhesives, coatings and resins in order to achieve the required properties. These materials are partially bio-based which raises challenges with recyclability and hinders the full potential of fibrebased composites in the circular economy. There is a strong urge to integrate wood-derived waste-streams, in particular large amounts of lignin, produced on an industrial scale, into emerging product applications in the EU Bioeconomy. To tackle these challenges, RE-Fibre aims at training 11 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) with an entrepreneurial and sustainability-oriented mindset in the disciplines of circular engineering, green/ lignin chemistry, new biobased materials, environmental systems science, to generate fully recyclable functional wood and plant fibre-based materials with advanced capabilities and performance. The DCs will develop technical competencies, not only in a breakthrough scientific field but also in interpersonal and day-to-day skills, allowing them to work and collaborate across academic and industrial sectors. This training will significantly contribute to their employability as future leaders, in the fields of biorefining, chemical industry and sustainable manufacturing industry, supporting the green transition and a sustainable circular economy in Europe.

Status

SIGNED

Url

https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101168684

Call topic

HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01-01

Update Date

19-09-2024