According to the EU directives, the development of environmentally friendly packaging from biodegradable and recycled materials is among the nine priority directions of the innovation. Unfortunately, the usage of plastics as packaging maintains its position in the future. Thus, the main task to minimize the negative effect of plastic packaging on the environment is the creation of plastic composite packaging with the maximal content of biodegradable ingredients. The project’s aim is to design a novel innovative environmentally friendly composite material consisting of a recycled polypropylene/polylactic acid polymer matrix, filled with modified wheat straw, and functional bio-based additives, obtained from wood residues by their biorefinery, and to optimize processing technology of the developed composite for the fabrication of bulk food storage containers and packaging. The blend of recycled polypropylene with polylactic acid as a polymer matrix, the modified wheat straw as a filler, valorized soda lignin and extracted suberinic acids as the functional additives for the design of the novel composite packaging will be studied. The non-waste valorization technology of lignin for obtaining an effective compatibilizer as well as a choice of the optimal conditions for extraction of suberinic acids with the defined chemical composition and plasticizing properties for their usage as a lubricant will be developed.

US4GREENCHEM aims to design a biorefinery concept for the complete valorization of lignocellulosic biomass that is energy- and cost- efficient and based solely on green technologies. The concept combines mechanical pretreatment of the substrate with the aid of ultrasound to overcome its recalcitrance and disrupt inhibitors with mild CO2 hemicellulose degradation and with the enzymatic recovery of sugars and technologies for the valorization of the byproducts released in the process. Aim of the Project - Develop ultrasound (US) pretreatment that effectively disrupts the lignocellulosic matrix. - Further degrade lignocellulose with CO2 technologies to maximize release of sugars as main target products of the process. - Develop purification and conversion strategies for lignin-based products, in order to maximize the material valorization of the biomass components. - Valorize the solid residues of the product for energy. - Optimize the yield and reduce by 50% the cost of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose fibers. - Test for fermentability of the sugar fraction - Propose effective integration and upscaling to strategies pilot scale through the experienced industrial partners involved in the project. - Perform a thorough analysis of the outcomes of the proposed combination of technologies to evaluate the potential economic and environmental impacts and compare the proposed concept to existing technologies on the market and being currently developed.

The EURAXESS TOP III consortium includes partners from almost all EURAXESS countries (either as beneficiaries or associated partners, from altogether 39 countries), in order to ensure the widest possible coverage as well as increased impact. The project has been divided into eight work packages. Two WPs are devoted to the development, testing and pilot introduction of new services on career development within the EURAXESS network. The remaining WPs will focus on the environment of researchers including the institutional context, the integration of third country researchers and reaching out to researchers beyond the EU; researchers within and outside academia, most notably industry; the consolidation of the ongoing services portfolio, be it personal or electronic; the further capacity building of the EURAXESS network members and meeting the challenge posed by staff turnover by trainings, twinning and study visits; networking and knowledge exchange with a wide range of other networks; implementation of a consistent quality assurance and monitoring system operating on several levels on the project, and working out a future vision for EURAXESS in light of the policy goals of the EC set for the period up to 2020. The project will significantly contribute to matching research talents with R&I needs and capacity on a European scale and it will help the circulation of researchers within Europe and among sectors. As a result of the project, members of the EURAXESS network will have better and broader knowledge and more integrated good practices regarding service provision for researchers. EURAXESS national portals throughout the EURAXESS member countries will offer tailor made information in line with Horizon 2020 objectives on making science careers attractive for researchers, especially young researchers.

POLYMERS-5B aims to develop novel alternative biobased polymers synthesized from biobased monomers (diacids, diols, diamines, hydroxyacids, aminoacids, aromatic and phenolic compounds, fatty acids, oils, furans), sourced from underexploited second generation (2G) feedstocks such as agri/food waste (Tomato and Olive wastes) and biomass (wood pulp and lignin derivatives), obeying the food first and cascading principle. The project will resort to Biocatalysis and Green Chemistry processes to generate novel biobased polymers like polyesters and polyamides with pendent functional groups, (e.g., hydroxy, carboxylic, amine, epoxy, thiol, others), polyphenols and poly-furans, that mimic fossil-based polymers properties (e.g., polyethene terephthalate-PET, Polyurethanes-PUs, Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-ABS, Amine and other polymeric resins), targeting improved biodegradability. These new polymers will be blended to provide valuable bio-composites and polymeric materials for the textile, automotive, furniture and polymeric resin markets. Machine Learning (ML) tools will drive the optimization of the developed technologies towards minimum resource usage “zero waste” and “zero pollution”, while technological, economic, and environmental sustainability aspects will be incorporated early in the design phase by adopting Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approaches. This sustainable strategy will contribute to an increase in the availability of monomers, bio-based polymers & plastic materials synthesized in the EU, that meet the Green Deal targets, reducing the carbon footprint and dependency on fossil-based raw materials and derivatives.