Advanced Manufacturing for Sustainable Biodegradable Microbeads - BIOBEADS

在BIOBEADS项目中，我们建议联合开发新产品的新制造路线。制造将基于一个低能耗的过程，可以很容易地扩大或缩小，产品将是可生物降解的微珠，微胶囊和微海绵，它们与现有的塑料微球产品具有相同的性能特征，但不会留下持久的环境痕迹。利用生物基材料，如纤维素（来自植物）和几丁质（来自螃蟹或虾壳），我们将使用连续制造方法来生产微球，空心胶囊和多孔颗粒，以取代目前在许多应用中使用的塑料微珠。纤维素和几丁质是可生物降解的，也是许多海洋生物饮食的一部分，这意味着它们有直接的自然分解途径，不会在环境中积累。BIOBEADS将采用膜乳化技术生产。该项目建立在我们在连续生产可调液滴大小的膜乳化、纤维素和几丁质在绿色溶剂中的溶解、纳米级和微米级结构表征等方面的共同专业知识的基础上，研究颗粒形成的各个方面，从前体到形成过程，再到降解途径。我们的主要重点将是用于化妆品和个人护理配方的球体和胶囊，但是，通过了解这些球体的形成过程和机制，我们的目标是能够定制颗粒特性，以适应更大规模的应用，从油漆剥离到生物可降解塑料的填料。BIOBEADS研究团队将与工业伙伴合作，包括非常大的个人护理产品制造商，以确保所进行的研究可以被接受和使用，从而对制造新的、更可持续的产品产生真正的积极影响。

In project BIOBEADS we propose to develop, in combination, new manufacturing routes to new products. Manufacturing will be based on a low-energy process that can be readily scaled up, or down, and the products will be biodegradable microbeads, microscapsules and microsponges, which share the performance characteristics of existing plastic microsphere products, but which will leave no lasting environmental trace. Using bio-based materials such as cellulose (from plants) and chitin (from crab or prawn shells), we will use continuous manufacturing methods to generate microspheres, hollow capsules and porous particles to replace the plastic microbeads currently in use in many applications. Cellulose and chitin are biodegradable and also part of the diet of many marine organisms, meaning they have straightforward natural breakdown routes and will not accumulate in the environment. BIOBEADS will be produced using membrane emulsification techniques. The project builds on our joint expertise in membrane emulsification for continuous production of tunable droplet sizes, dissolution of cellulose and chitin in green solvents and in characterization of nanoscale and microscale structures to study all aspects of particle formation from precursors, through formation processes, to degradation routes. Yhe primary focus will be spheres and capsules, for use in cosmetics and personal care formulations, but, by understanding the processes and mechanisms of formation of these spheres, we aim to be able to tailor particle properties to suit larger scale applications from paint stripping, to fillers in biodegradable plastics.The BIOBEADS research team will work with industrial partners, including very large manufacturers of personal care products, to ensure that the research conducted can be taken up and used, so having a real, positive impact on the manufacturing of new, more sustainble products.