Scott Bader joins CHAMPION project to research novel bio-based polymers
Scott Bader is one of fourteen partners to have joined the CHAMPION project; a research and innovation project aiming to replace conventional polymers with novel bio-based polymers for coatings, textiles, home care and structural adhesive applications.
The CHAMPION project (Circular High-performance Aza-Michael Polymers as Innovative materials Originating from Nature) will run for three and a half years with the objective of improving the sustainability credentials of polymer-based products. The project has been awarded Horizon 2020 BBI JU funding and includes fourteen partners from six European countries coordinated by the University of York.
Professor James Clark, CHAMPION project coordinator, said: “The current approaches to polymer production are not compatible with the EU’s circular economy and green ambitions; the CHAMPION project will develop suitable, even superior replacements.”
Novel CHAMPION bio-based polymers obtained via the Aza-Michael addition reaction will be evaluated as sustainable replacements for polymers used in furniture coatings, home and personal care products, car interior surfaces and structural adhesives. Recovery, reuse and recycling (with the option of controlled energy recovery) are the end-of-life options planned for the design of products using CHAMPION polymers. All products will be evaluated for sustainability via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA).
Dr Steven Brown, Technology Development Manager at Scott Bader, and chair of CompositesUK Sustainability Group said: “The composites industry is an enabler of a sustainable society however we must end the reliance on fossil derived chemicals whilst promoting alternatives to end-of-life waste. This multi-partner EU funded project will show us that we don’t have to compromise on performance to achieve a balance with nature.”
The CHAMPION project is another sign of Scott Bader’s continued commitment to invest in new technology platforms following the recent creation of Polymer Mimetics; a joint venture with the University of Liverpool.
