GAIKER supports the development of new high-performance bio-based copolymers
The European SUPREME-PILOTS project will develop high-performance bio-based copolymers to overcome the limitations of conventional PLA and facilitate their use in a range of industrial applications
GAIKER, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), is participating in SUPREME-PILOTS (Sustainable development of advanced coPolymers through Reactive Extrusion and Material Evaluation on industrial platforms), a European project funded by Horizon Europe that aims to develop new high-performance bio-based copolymers and facilitate their use in a range of industrial applications.
SUPREME-PILOTS was launched with the aim of overcoming some of the limitations of conventional PLA, including its brittleness, low impact resistance and lower versatility compared with certain fossil-based materials. To achieve this, the project will work on the development of bio-based polymer precursors, such as biopolyester polyols and bioPTMG, which will be used to produce new copolymers through reactive extrusion (REX), a continuous production process in which materials are heated, mixed and chemically modified simultaneously.
Thanks to this innovative, sustainable and scalable production method, based on artificial intelligence and the use of advanced European raw materials, materials with enhanced performance will be developed while reducing energy consumption, waste generation, manufacturing costs and the number of tests required. This will help accelerate the transition from laboratory research to industrial-scale production.
The materials developed will subsequently be adapted and validated in different industrial processes and real-world applications, with the aim of achieving Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7). The planned applications include foamed sports equipment, street furniture, technical flooring and industrial marking tapes. Their potential use in other sectors, including biomedicine, electronics and transport, will also be explored, thereby broadening their potential applications and market opportunities.
The project will also assess the entire life cycle of the materials and products developed, including how they can be reused, recycled or recovered at the end of their useful life.
GAIKER’s role
Within the project, GAIKER, as an expert in environmental assessment, safety, recycling and end-of-life strategies, is involved in several work packages and leads WP5, which focuses on assessing the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) profile of the new copolymers. This work will enable safety, sustainability and circularity criteria to be incorporated into the design of the materials from the earliest stages of development.
The Centre’s activities will include assessing the potential impacts of the new copolymers on human health and the environment, as well as conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) and socio-economic and sustainability studies.
In addition, based on the results obtained, recommendations will be drawn up to improve the materials and their manufacturing processes from a safety and sustainability perspective. Strategies for sorting, separating and recycling these materials at the end of their useful life will also be designed and validated, while contributing to the development of recommendations to strengthen the European Safe and Sustainable by Design framework.
Coordinated by FUNDACION AITIIP, the project brings together 14 partners from different countries and will run for 48 months, from June 2026 to May 2030.
He optado por “bio-based copolymers” en inglés y “biobaseko kopolimeroak” en euskera por ser formulaciones técnicas adecuadas para este contexto, y por “GAIKER’s role / GAIKERen lana” para que el subtítulo resulte natural en ambos idiomas, en lugar de trasladar literalmente «Labor de GAIKER».
