DIBBIOPACK · DEVELOPMENT OF INJECTION AND BLOW EXTRUSION MOLDED BIODEGRADABLE AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL PACKAGES BY NANOTECHNOLOGY: IMPROVEMENT OF STRUCTURAL AND BARRIER PROPERTIES, SMART FEATURES AND SUSTAINABILITY

The project aims on the one hand the development of new biobased materials specially adapted to the development of a wide range of containers or packages (films made by extrusion laminating, trays or lids developed by injection moulding and bottles performed through extrusion blow moulding technologies) and the improvement of thermal, mechanical and barrier properties of these packages through nanotechnology and innovative coatings. On the other hand, the project aims the operational integration of different intelligent technologies or smart devices to provide to the packaging value chain more information about the products and the processes, increase safety and quality of products through supply chain and improve the shelf-life of the packaged products. In both cases, the application of more flexible alternative processes and more environmentally sustainable and efficient technologies will be considered. The project includes the design, development, optimization and manufacturing of multifunctional smart packages, assuring compliance of environmental requirements through LCA and LCC analysis, managing nanotechnology risk through the whole packaging value chain, and finally, end user evaluation in different sectors as cosmetic, pharmaceutic and food industry. The project results and the high impact reached through a wide range of technologies utilized will boost the European Packaging Industry to a higher level.