BIO-MIMETIC · New bio-inspired processes and products from renewable feedstocks

Within the FP7 PEOPLE project (Blue4Glue), Fraunhofer Institute (IFAM) and Procter andGamble discovered a (PPO based) enzymatic process used by marine-organisms, which“produce” polymers in a much simpler way (less process steps) than industry does in classicalchemistry. BIO-MIMETIC aims to transfer this new scientific knowledge into a blueprint for anovel (pre-)industrial enzymatic-based bio-polymerization process. It involves research partners(IFAM and UNITOV) with experience in enzymatic transformation and bio-based syntheticpolymers, as well as expert SMEs such as Dyadic (enzymes), CIMV (biomass transformationinto bio-chemistry) and CULGI (computational modeling of bio-chemical processes) to developthe process that firstly transforms biomass (lignin) into new bio-based polymers (pseudopeptides). These will used to create respectively: 1) Bioconjugated copolymers, that will betested in detergents (by P&G) 2) Bio-cross-linked adhesive gels, to be experimented in antiageingcosmetics and in bio-textiles preparation (by an SME cosmetic producer MAVI).Potential environmental benefits are over 124 kton/yr less toxic solvents to produce chemicals,over 1 Billion kWh of energy savings (room temperature process) and a drastically reduced CO2footprint i.e. replace 8000 Mtons of petrochemical based deposition aides and in the futuresubstitute a large amount of phenol and phenolic derivatives, which are used to produce chemicalintermediates for a myriad of applications. BIO-MIMETIC will carry out LCA and LCC (cost)assessments over the value chain as input to business plan and will use a new SME LCA tool(cCALC) to develop an LCA showcase, which will come available for SMEs. The cCALC tooland showcase will be freely downloadable as part of the exploitation plan targeted at the marketuptake of project results in the emerging European market of bio-based products, projected togrow towards 250 billion Euro by 2020.