Service of SURF
© 2025 SURF
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable biopolymers (polyesters), produced by a wide range of bacterial strains. They are gaining increasing interest in different research fields, due to their sustainability and environmental-friendly properties. Additionally, PHAs are also biocompatible, which makes them interesting for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. At the same time, they are characterized by properties ideal for 3D printing processing, such as high tensile strength, easy processability and thermoplasticity. To date, the techniques employed in PHAs printing mostly include fused deposition modeling (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), electrospinning (ES), and melt electrospinning (MES). In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the versatile and sustainably sourced bacterial PHAs, also modified by blending with natural and synthetic polymers (e.g., PLA, PGA) or combining them with inorganic fillers (e.g., nanoparticles, glass), used for 3D printing in biomedical applications. We specify focus on the printing conditions and the properties of the obtained scaffolds with a focus on the print resolution and scaffolds mechanical and biological properties. New perspectives in the emerging field of PHAs biofabrication process, characterized by sustainability and efficiency of the scaffold production, are demonstrated. The use of alternative printing techniques, i.e. melt electrowriting (MEW), and producing smart and functional materials degrading on demand under in vitro and in vivo conditions is proposed.
LINK
The transition to a biobased economy necessitates utilizing renewable resources as a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Bioconversion is a way to produce many green chemicals from renewables, e.g., biopolymers like PHAs. However, fermentation and bioconversion processes mostly rely on expensive, and highly refined pure substrates. The utilization of crude fractions from biorefineries, especially herbaceous lignocellulosic feedstocks, could significantly reduce costs. This presentation shows the microbial production of PHA from such a crude stream by a wild-type thermophilic bacterium Schlegelella thermodepolymerans [1]. Specifically, it uses crude xylose-rich fractions derived from a newly developed biorefinery process for grassy biomasses (the ALACEN process). This new stepwise mild flow-through biorefinery approach for grassy lignocellulosic biomass allows the production of various fractions: a fraction containing esterified aromatics, a monomeric xylose-rich stream, a glucose fraction, and a native-like lignin residue [2]. The crude xylose-rich fraction was free of fermentation-inhibiting compounds meaning that the bacterium S.thermodepolymerans could effectively use it for the production of one type of PHA, polyhydroxybutyrate. Almost 90% of the xylose in the refined wheat straw fraction was metabolized with simultaneous production of PHA, matching 90% of the PHA production per gram of sugars, comparable to PHA yields from commercially available xylose. In addition to xylose, S. thermodepolymerans converted oligosaccharides with a xylose backbone (xylans) into fermentable xylose, and subsequently utilized the xylose as a source for PHA production. Since the xylose-rich hydrolysates from the ALACEN process also contain some oligomeric xylose and minor hemicellulose-derived sugars, optimal valorization of the C5-fractions derived from the refinery process can be obtained using S. thermodepolymerans. This opens the way for further exploration of PHA production from C5-fractions out of a variety of herbaceous lignocellulosic biomasses using the ALACEN process combined with S. thermodepolymerans. Overall, the innovative utilization of renewable resources in fermentation technology, as shown herein, makes a solid contribution to the transition to a biobased economy.[1] W. Zhou, D.I. Colpa, H. Permentier, R.A. Offringa, L. Rohrbach, G.J.W. Euverink, J. Krooneman. Insight into polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from xylose and extracellular PHA degradation by a thermophilic Schlegelella thermodepolymerans. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 194 (2023) 107006, ISSN 0921-3449, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107006. [2] S. Bertran-Llorens, W.Zhou. M.A.Palazzo, D.I.Colpa, G.J.W.Euverink, J.Krooneman, P.J.Deuss. ALACEN: a holistic herbaceous biomass fractionation process attaining a xylose-rich stream for direct microbial conversion to bioplastics. Submitted 2023.
LINK
Worldwide, plastic cups are used for serving drinks. Some typical examples of large-scale consumption are large concerts and festivals. As a part of the BIOCAS project, which focusses on the valorization of biomass through various routes, a PHA biobased festival cup was developed and created to reduce the impact of current fossil plastics. The role of VHL was to assess the environmental impact. The aim of the report is to inform the BIOCAS-partners about the use of plastic cups, and address the environmental impact in comparison with other types of biobased plastic cups and fossil-based cups. This report can serve as a basis for making choices within all different types of (plastic/biobased) cups. Besides, it can be used as a public communication tool about the environmental impact of different types of (plastic/biobased) cup applications.
MULTIFILE
Currently, many novel innovative materials and manufacturing methods are developed in order to help businesses for improving their performance, developing new products, and also implement more sustainability into their current processes. For this purpose, additive manufacturing (AM) technology has been very successful in the fabrication of complex shape products, that cannot be manufactured by conventional approaches, and also using novel high-performance materials with more sustainable aspects. The application of bioplastics and biopolymers is growing fast in the 3D printing industry. Since they are good alternatives to petrochemical products that have negative impacts on environments, therefore, many research studies have been exploring and developing new biopolymers and 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of fully biobased products. In particular, 3D printing of smart biopolymers has attracted much attention due to the specific functionalities of the fabricated products. They have a unique ability to recover their original shape from a significant plastic deformation when a particular stimulus, like temperature, is applied. Therefore, the application of smart biopolymers in the 3D printing process gives an additional dimension (time) to this technology, called four-dimensional (4D) printing, and it highlights the promise for further development of 4D printing in the design and fabrication of smart structures and products. This performance in combination with specific complex designs, such as sandwich structures, allows the production of for example impact-resistant, stress-absorber panels, lightweight products for sporting goods, automotive, or many other applications. In this study, an experimental approach will be applied to fabricate a suitable biopolymer with a shape memory behavior and also investigate the impact of design and operational parameters on the functionality of 4D printed sandwich structures, especially, stress absorption rate and shape recovery behavior.
Recent research by the renowned Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) shows that more than 2/3 of all CO2 is emitted during the building process and less than 1/3 during use to heat the building and the tap water. Lightweight, local and biobased materials such as biocomposites to replace concrete and fossil based cladding are in the framework of climate change, a necessity for future building. Using plant fiber in polymer composites is especially interesting for construction since natural fibers exhibit comparative good mechanical properties with small specific weight, which defines the potential for lightweight constructions. The use of renewable resources, will affect the ecosystem favorably and the production costs of construction materials could also decrease. However, one disadvantage of natural fibers in plastics is their hydrophilic properties. In construction the materials need to meet special requirements like the resistance against fluctuating weather conditions (Ticoalu et al., 2010). In contrast to synthetic fibers, the natural ones are more moisture- and UV-radiation-sensitive. That may lead to degradation of these materials and a decreasing in quality of products. (Lopez et al., 2006; Mokhothu und John, 2017) Tanatex and NPSP have approached CoE BBE/Avans to assist in a study where fibres impregnated with the (modified) Tanatex products will be used for reinforcement of thermoset biopolymers. The influence of the different Tanatex products on the moisture absorption of natural/cellulosic fibers and the adhesion on the fibers on main composite matrix will be measured. The effect of Tantex products can optimize the bonding reaction between the resin and the fibers in the (bio) composite and result to improved strength and physico-chemical properties of the biocomposite materials. (word count: 270)
Eggshell particles as bio-ceramic in sustainable bioplastic engineering – ESP-BIOPACK Plastics make our lives easier in many ways. However, if they are not properly disposed of, they end up in the environment. Recently, biodegradable biopolymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHAs), have moved towards alternatives for applications such as sustainable packaging. The major limitations of these biopolymers are the high cost, which is due to the high cost of the starting materials and the small volumes, and the poor thermal and mechanical properties such as limited processability and low impact resistance. Attempts to modify PHAs have been researched in many ways, such as blending various biodegradable polymers or mixing inorganic mineral fillers. Eggshell (10 million tons per year by 2030) is a natural bio-ceramic mineral with a unique chemical composition of calcium carbonate (>95% calcite). So far it has been regarded as a zero-value waste product, but it could be a great opportunity as raw material to reduce the cost of biopolymers and to improve properties, including the decomposition process at the end-of-life. In this project, we aim to develop eggshell particles that serve as bio-fillers in biopolymers to lower the cost of the product, to improve mechanical properties and to facilitate the validation of end-of-life routes, therefore, economically enhance the wide applications of such. The developed bioplastic packaging materials will be applied in SME partner EGGXPERT’s cosmetics line but also in other packaging applications, such as e.g. biodegradable coffee capsules. To be able to realize the proposed idea, the partnership between Chemelot Innovation and Learning Labs (CHILL), EGGXPERT B.V. and the Research Centre Material Sciences of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences is needed to research the physical, mechanical and end-of-life influences of eggshell particles (ESP) in biopolymers such as PLA and PHA and optimize their performance.