The objective of GASP is the development of 100% biobased polylactide materials including cellulose nanostructures with designed barrier properties for oxygen, CO2, water or organic vapors. These materials are targeted on high added value applications in the packaging industry. GASP is deliberately positioned on fully biobased and biodegradable commercially available polymers. It volunteers thereby to contribute to the solutions needed for developing sustainable growth of manufacturing industries by innovation and accompanying their transition versus the use of renewable resources. Organic polymers have already high market share in the packaging sector and their comparatively low gas and vapor barrier properties are one of the limitations to expansion towards novel applications in specialties. Precisely low barrier properties are also one of the major hurdles for novel biodegradable and biobased polymers entering the high volume market packaging. Nanostructures allow for tailoring material properties on the macromolecular scale and offer thus opportunity for development of innovative composites. Nanocelluloses are now available in industrial amounts and their high barrier properties to oxygen have already been shown. However, their potential is not exploited industrially today because industrial know-how for transformation with common plastics converters methodology is lacking. GASP tackles the two major hurdles for the fabrication of biobased barrier polymers, i) lack of scientific knowledge on the role of the nanofiller/polymer interfaces and ii) lack of plastics processing knowledge for the creation of performing polymer composites. GASP proposes the following strategy: On the molecular scale, GASP aims to develop nanocellulose surface grafting processes for tailoring the nanocellulose/polymer interface with two goals i) compatibilizing both partners and ii) engineering the interfaces by grafting of nanocellulose surfaces with molecules able to selectively trap permeants for improving barrier properties. On the processing scale, GASP seeks to develop nanocellulose processing techniques in the aim to create optimized material architectures. For that goal a simulation driven approach will also be used to define the most appropriate architectures for improved barrier properties. To rise to this challenge a highly competitive consortium of industrial and academic actors has joined. Leading French academic laboratories in polymer processing (PIMM), gas barrier properties of nanocomposites and modeling (IMP), diffusion/solubility properties of polymers (PBS), food/polymer interactions (GENIAL), surface chemistry (ICMMO) and characterization and modification of nanocelluloses (LGP2) will work hand in hand with two start ups in creation of specific molecular traps (Ajelys) and production of tailor-made nanocelluloses (Inofib), and two companies specialized in thermoforming of food containers (CGL Pack) and film fabrication and complexing (Wipak). The outcomes of GASP will be on the academic level advancing the state of the art of our common knowledge on transport properties and mechanisms on very localized interfaces between nanostructures and polymers. The scientific results will be brought to a large community of users by communication in scientific congresses and teaching actions, professional events and science communication to public. On the industrial level, GASP aims on the creation of two pilot materials able to be transferred to industrial pilot scale processes and directly impacting the business of the associated companies. For the consumer GASP will pave the way towards renewable packaging materials complying with the highest standards of performance and safety.

The aim of the EU_FT-ICR proposal is to establish a European network of FT-ICR (Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance) mass spectrometry centers in association with hardware and software developer SME, a manufacturer and a European consulting company for answering the call INFRAIA-02-2017 (RIA) Integrating Activities for Starting Communities. The call INFRAIA-02-2017 is a two stage procedure and the funding is requested for managing the response of the second step. The first stage call deadline is March 30th 2016, and the second call deadline is March 30th 2017. The answer from the EU to the first stage call is expected late June 2016, so the January 12th ANR MRSEI call fits ideally the timetable. Mass spectrometry (MS) has become one of the most ubiquitous analytical techniques in use today, providing more information on the composition and the structure of a substance from a smaller amount of sample than any other techniques. Unlike other analytical techniques, such as NMR, which mainly rely on a unique technology, MS is characterized by the existence of a large range of instruments combining different ionization sources, mass analyzers and ion fragmentation methods. Considering all the MS techniques currently available, Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) is the most powerful. It offers up to 100 times higher mass resolving power and mass accuracy than any other mass analysis technique. Alternatively, viewed only as a separation device, ultrahigh-resolution FT-ICR MS offering more than 100 times higher peak capacity than the most effective wet chemical separation methods, which makes it possible to analyze complex mixtures without the use of prior chromatography. In FT-ICR MS, ion mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) is obtained by measurement of ion cyclotron frequency in a fixed and homogeneous magnetic field (B). As in NMR, the quality of produced results is directly influenced by the field strength of the superconducting magnet. ICR frequency is proportional to B. Thus, FT-ICR resolved power increases linearly with increasing B. The prize of a FT-ICR MS is comprised between one and two million euros according to the superconducting magnet of the magnetic field which is a key element for the spectrometer performance. The highest field commercially available is 15 Tesla. On the contrary to NMR community, the FT-ICR mass spectrometry community has never been involved in a European INFRA network and so will be a legitimate candidate to the Integrating Activities for Starting Communities call. The EU_FT-ICR network will include 12 FT-ICR centers and 4 companies, of which 12 have already given their agreement, from 10 different European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom). It will include center equipped with up-to-date FT-ICR MS and expertise which will cover most of the field in which FT-ICR mass spectrometry is involved: BioOrganic & BioInorganic, Cultural heritage, Glycomics, Environment, Imaging, InfraRed Spectroscopy of Ions in the Gas Phase, Lipidomics, Medecine, Petroleum & Coal Oil, Nanoparticles, Organic chemistry, Physical chemistry, Proteomics, Structural biology. The EU_FT-ICR proposal will contains six Work-packages which will covers all the aspects of the INFRAIA-02-2017 (RIA) Integrating Activities for Starting Communities (WP1. Transnational access; WP2 Training and Education; WP3 Open Data and e-Infrastructure; WP 4 Joint Research Action; WP 5 Dissemination; WP6 Consortium management). The requested amount of money (30,000 euros) is for financing the support of a Consulting company for coordinating the writing of the second stage proposal and for organizing three international meeting with the 16 partners (scientific PI of each center, stakeholders, Intellectual Property, Legal Affairs and Economic Development officers).