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BIOMOTIVE

Advanced BIObased polyurethanes and fibres for the autoMOTIVE industry with increased environmental sustainability

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Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action - Demonstration
Project focus
Bio-based polymers & plastics
Feedstock origin
Agri-food
Forest-based
Feedstock type
Food industry sidestreams
Lignin & wood residues
Project period
1 June 2017 - 30 November 2021
Status
Completed
CBE JU Contribution
€ 10 659 352,50
Call identifier
H2020-BBI-JTI-2016

Summary

Automotive manufacturers are under growing pressure to either use less fuel or go further on same battery charge. Much of this improved performance will come from making cars lighter – lightweighting – i.e. decreasing the weight they need to move. Every 10% reduction in vehicle weight delivers a 5-7 percent reduction in fuel usage.

As a result, manufacturers are showing increasing interest in lightweight material; a noticeable fraction (around 20%) of modern cars is made of plastic and such an amount is expected to increase thanks to the recognized properties of polymers in absorbing sound and vibration. Despite these advantages, there is no single bio-based plastic that provides the aesthetics and haptics that the automotive manufacturers seek in tandem with the technical properties (shock resistance, heat resistance, fire resistance and weight reduction) they require.

The BIOMOTIVE project aims to demonstrate, in relevant industrial environments, the production of innovative and advanced bio-based materials (i.e. thermoplastic polyurathanes, 2-k thermoset polyurethane foams and regenerated natural fibres) specifically for the automotive industry. The improved performance of these materials within the automotive sector, will allow massive penetration of bio-based polyurethanes and regenerated fibres into additional “large volume” markets.

The BIOMOTIVE project has a number of objectives:

  • From a scientific and technological perspective, it intends to demonstrate the production of bio-based raw materials and building blocks for the subsequent application in the formulation of bio-based polyesters-polyols and bio-based thermoplastic TPUs (Thermoplastic PolyUrethane).
  • From a final application validation perspective, BIOMOTIVE aims to validate, on an industrial scale, the bio-based polymers in producing interior fascia or door handles of cars, the foams for production of bio-based seats and the regenerated fibre for producing bio-based textile for covering vehicles seats.
  • From an environmental, safety and resource efficiency perspective, BIOMOTIVE aims to reduce primary energy consumption and GHG emission of the developed processes and improve the recyclability of the end-of-life bio-products through eco-design strategies
  • From a socio-economic perspective, BIOMOTIVE aims to create new jobs in the bio-based, green chemistry sectors and agricultural sectors, while paving the way for additional investments in the bio-based economy in Eastern European countries. In addition, it seeks to expand the market for thermoplastic polyurethanes and regenerated fibres into the construction and the textile sectors.

BIOMOTIVE expects the project will deliver the following impacts:

  • Demonstrate the improved mechanical and functional properties of the developed products against the products already available in the market.
  • A total reduction in GHG emissions of up to 58% for the final products through formulating bio-based PUs and foams with bio-based monomers with improved environmental profile
  • Potential creation of approx. 400 new jobs in the bio-based sector.

Biomotive project

EU-funded BIOMOTIVE project seeking to develop bio-based products for automotive 
4 September 2020 
The specialised news outlet Sustainable BUS features BBI JU BIOMOTIVE project. The article explains how the promising results from the project might be available on the market at the end of 2021. Read more 

Car parts from weeds - the future of green motoring?
19 July 2019
A recent BBC article, covering different ways of making car manufacturing more sustainable, features the BBI JU BIOMOTIVE project as a positive example. The project is working to reduce the carbon footprint of cars by using bioplastics, which are more sustainable than the fossil-based materials used so far. Read more

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • SELENA INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA DZIERZONIOW, Poland

Consortium

  • NOVAMONT SPA Novara, Italy
  • PATENTOPOLIS BV DELFT, Netherlands
  • LEDA POLYMER SP ZOO Wroclaw, Poland
  • THURINGISCHES INSTITUT FUR TEXTIL-UND KUNSTSTOFF-FORSCHUNG RUDOLSTADTEV RUDOLSTADT, Germany
  • MATER-BIOTECH SPA Novara No, Italy
  • INTAP TOBIK SPOLKA JAWNA BUKOWIEC BROJCE, Poland
  • UNIVERSITA DI PISA Pisa, Italy
  • METSA FIBRE OY Espoo, Finland
  • SELENA FM SA WROCLAW, Poland
  • E-OFFICE7 SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA RADOM, Poland
  • UNION INTERNATIONALE DES TRANSPORTS PUBLICS Bruxelles / Brussel, Belgium
  • SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ - INSTYTUT CIEZKIEJ SYNTEZY ORGANICZNEJ BLACHOWNIA KEDZIERZYN-KOZLE, Poland
  • RINA SERVICES SPA Genova, Italy
  • MAIER TECHNOLOGY CENTRE S COOP Ajangiz Vizcaya, Spain
  • MAIER SCOOP Ajangiz, Spain
  • FUNDACION CARTIF Boecillo, Spain
  • SELENA IBERIA SL MADRID, Spain
  • NADIR SRL VENEZIA, Italy
  • I.S.C. RO TECHNOLOGY SRL GIURGIU, Romania
  • OLIGO SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA KATOWICE, Poland