WAKEUP
Scheda del progetto
Università degli Studi di Pavia
Prof. Associato Stefano Protti
Dott. Stefano Genualdo
Plastics are now a necessary technology, but they are increasingly the focus of attention due to their direct effects on the environment and the land-water ecosystem, as well as the use of petroleum derivatives required for their production. In this project, a technology already patented by our research group as a resin for 3D printing will be optimised for industrial applications.
The material under study in this project is a polymerisable, thermosetting bio-resin under curing conditions. All protocols used will follow Green Chemistry standards, producing a >80 % bio-based resin with low or no VOC emissions. This will give us an ecological advantage over current resins that often contain hazardous compounds such as styrene. Possible applications for the product will be wood flatting/impregnating (light-curing resin) and intumescent paints for fire-fighting use with a high filler content (heat-curing resin). The latter use is of particular interest due to the high heat resistance and non-melting nature of the cured product.
Many of the current resins used in industry have only a small percentage of product derived from biological waste products.
The project involves knowledge of industrial organic chemistry with photochemistry and enzyme chemistry.
Expected results:
Development of industrial applications of a thermosetting biodegradable resin produced from waste vegetable oils.
Target audience:
Small/medium enterprises that use resins as binders or to make wood artefacts water-repellent.
Fallout and Impact:
The improvement of the production process will make it possible to have a base resin that can be modified according to the requirements of the companies involved.