ReInvent

The overarching objective of The ReInvent project is to develop and combine bio-based materials and fibres that can replace the petroleum based polyurethane (PUR) insulation and structural products used in buildings and soft foams for vehicle interior products. Specifically it sets out to:

• Deliver specifications and requirements to the fibre and foam composites to be used in construction and automotive industries;
• Develop a portfolio of bio-based, multifunctional, sustainable and low-cost rigid and soft foams with high insulating effectiveness and an exploitation property profile as per the end user’s requirements;
• Develop bio-based components for the formulation and production of novel cellular materials and products;
• Up-scale production of the newly developed materials to be used in the novel bio-based foam formulations;
• Up-scale production of bio-based novel rigid and soft foams and NFRP nanocomposites for the construction and automotive industries;
• Demonstrate novel products as alternatives to available petroleum and bio-based insulation materials;
• Develop recycling technologies using cost-efficient chemical and enzymatic processes for the developed materials allowing re-use in various industrial sectors.

Expected impacts of the ReInvent project include:

• Creating at least one new cross-sector interconnection in bio-based economy clusters;
• Creating at least three new bio-based materials with high potential marketability;
• Creating at least four new demonstrated consumer products based on bio-based chemicals and materials that meet market requirements;
• Delivering quantified benefits such as better performances, lower costs and improved environmental sustainability of the target bio-based materials compared with identified benchmarks for the same large-volume application;
• Delivering an overall reduction of at least 10% in the carbon footprint of the considered bio-based operation compared with the state-of-the-art.