BIOAGROTEX: Development of new agrotextiles from renewable resources and with a tailored biodegradability

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BIOAGROTEX Development of new agrotextiles from
renewable resources and with a tailored
biodegradability

• Luc Ruys, Centexbel, Technologiepark 7
• 9052 Zwijnaarde Belgium.

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BIOAGROTEX Project Identity Card

• Acronym BIOAGROTEX
• Title Development of new agrotextiles from
  renewable resources with tailored
  biodegradability
• Call FP7-NMP-2007- 4.02 - SME-1
• Project Nr 213501
• Start 1/10/2008 Duration 48 months
• Budget 4,32 Meuro Subsidy 3.15 Meuro
• Beneficiaries 16 1
• Scientific Officer Claude Rieg PTA Mauro
  Caocci
• Project Coordinator CENTEXBEL / Luc Ruys

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BIOAGROTEX

• CONTENTS Testimony about the generation of a new
  FP7 project.
• Pre-phase of the project
• Call
• Preparation process
• Objectives
• Partners

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BIOAGROTEXPre-phase

• Role of EURATEX and the initiative regarding the
  EUROPEAN TEXTILE PLATFORM
• Bringing together industry and research.
• Actions subdivided over 9 thematic expert groups.
• Tremendous effort but extremely positive from
  networking point of view (gt400 experts)
• Define innovation needs and potentials, for a new
  future for the European Textile Industry

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BIOAGROTEXPre-phase

• Integration and summarizing into
• STRATEGIC RESEARCH AGENDA (2006)
• defining research priorities for the textile
  community
• Not an END point but only a starting point for
  Implementation

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BIOAGROTEXPre-phase

• Further steps
• Distribution of SRA within Textile Community
• Transferring/convincing the EC
• To interact/merge Strategic Research Agendas of
  related European Platforms and define common
  actions.

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BIOAGROTEXCall

• Resulted in defining in directly textile related
  Calls
• e.g. First FP 7 Call NMP
• NMP-2007- 4.0-2 Application of new materials
  including bio-based fibres in high-added value
  textile products
• Funding scheme
• Collaborative project targeted to SMEs

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BIOAGROTEXCall

• Contents call
• SME segment of the textiles industry technical
  textiles
• enhanced fibre properties .durability, ,
  bio-degradability,.
• natural and bio-based fibres, speciality fibres
  and fibre-composites.
• bulk fibres , natural fibres and bio-based
  fibres environmentally friendly and
  energy-efficient textile- and composite-based
  innovative products.

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BIOAGROTEXCall

• Deliverables
• include the fibre innovation itself,
• the development of new products and application
  areas
• competitive new processing and production
  concepts.
• Application areas
• agri- and aquaculture, , food and packaging
  applications, machines and other durable
  equipment, sports and leisure, furniture, home
  textiles and other similar consumer application
  sectors.

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BIOAGROTEXCall

• Expected impact
• promoting innovation of European Textile SMEs
• market competitiveness on knowledge specific
  high-tech markets European Textile high-tech
  SMEs.
• Replacement of currently used traditional textile
  materials by at least 20, acceleration of growth
  rates for technical textile application areas by
  at least 10 over the next 5 to 10 years.

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BIOAGROTEXCall

• Specific features
• SME participation complete value added chain.
• at least 35 of the EC contribution for SMEs
• led by SMEs with RD capacities but the
  coordinator does not need to be an SME.
• SMEs should have the decision making power
• Excluded
• Smart textiles with embedded systems
• Developments with the main applications in
  building and construction, medical and protective
  clothing domains

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BIOAGROTEXProject preparation

• Call forms the basis for project preparation
• Innovative idea (s) beyond state of the art
• Definition of objectives
• Selection of application area,
• Building project structure,
• Defining a balanced partnership.
• Core group with complementary expertise

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BIOAGROTEXProject preparation

• SUPPORT from the ETP
• TEPPIES TExtile Project Proposal Information
  Exchange System
• Introducing potential project topics
• basic innovative idea, objectives and structure
• request for additional ideas, expertise
• request for potential partners
• Distributed within the ETP network
• Meeting discussion on TEPPIES input of EC
  regarding the call.

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Core Elements
• Development of new agrotextiles
• from renewable resources and with a
• tailored biodegradability

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Back-ground
• Sustainable approach
• Creating alternatives for Fossil-based economy
• Replacing volumes of petrochemicals
• Reducing the emission of Green-house gases
• Optimal usage of the biomaterial resources
• Contribution to the KYOTO protocol

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Project Goals
• NF-based ground covers with extended life-time
• Natural fibres recycled or waste fibre fraction
• Upgrading by preparation process
• Upgrading by finishing process developing
  biobased polymer resins Furan chemistry
• Preservation action and improved mechanical
  properties

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Project Goals
• Processing of biopolymer formulations in textile
  products
• Biopolyesters (PLA, PHA), Startch based polymers
• Optimised polymer formulations - specific
  (bio)additives
• Improved processing properties
• Adapting properties via sustainable functional
  additives

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Project Goals
• Processing of biopolymer formulations in textile
  products Product range
• Monofilament and tapes
• Staple fibres
• Multifilament
• Standard industrial machinery

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Project Goals
• Processing into end products
• Standard textile processes
• Non-woven process, Knitting, Weaving
• Resulting in technical felts, woven
  ground-covers, knitted crop-protection nets,
• Proof of concept
• Demonstration via field tests

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BIOAGROTEXObjectives

• Project Goals
• Controlled biodegradation
• Variable product stability in function of
  application
• If needed addition of degradation additives
• Stable during normal life time and conditions (3
  to 5 years life time)
• Fast degradation under composting conditions
• No-toxic products released during degradation
• Existing and novel testing procedures.

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Elaborated international consortium
• 16 1 partner
• 7 EU countries (B, Nl, DE, UK, F, It, Cz)
• 7 RD centres
• 10 Industrial partners
• 2 Large companies (boosts implementation
  potential)
• 8 SME to a large extent High tech SMEs

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Covering complete production chain
• (Bio)Chemical Industry
• Natural Fibres Processing
• Extrusion
• Agrotextile producers
• Biodegradation testing knowledge management

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Chemicals
• Rodenburg Biopolymers (Nl)
• Transfuran chemicals (B)
• Tecnaro (DE)
• Devan PPT (UK)
• RD
• ITCF Denkendorf (DE)
• Agro Food Innovations (Nl)

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Natural Fibres Processing
• X (Competitive Call) NF preparation
• La Zeloise (B) NF-felts
• RD
• INOTEX (Cz) NF preparation
• ENSAIT (F) Non-woven technology

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Extrusion
• ENYA (B) - Filament
• DS Fibres (B) - Staple
• Bonar TF (B) - Tapes
• RD
• Centexbel (B)
• ITCF-Denkendorf (D)

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Agrotextiles end products
• La Zeloise (B) NF- felt
• DS Fibres (B) Biopolymer felt
• Bonar (B) Woven agrotextiles
• TEXINOV (Fr) Knitted crop protection
• RD
• CETMA (It) Demos

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BIOAGROTEXPARTNERS

• Biodegradation testing knowledge management,
• RD
• Agro Food Innovations (NL)
• Centexbel (B)
• DAppolonia (I)

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BIOAGROTEXProgress?

• What about results ??
• Come and see next ???
• Thanks for your attention.