What is it about?

The global market for coatings is changing and growing as the requirements for the properties and performances of end-products (durability for packaging, wear resistance in machinery, etc.) become more demanding. These changes open up interesting market prospects for bio-based coatings or coatings including bio-based components. However, generally speaking these coatings are not yet able to compete with traditional synthetic products on technical properties or cost. Although many research activities have been focusing on improving the characteristics of bio-based coatings, increasing their market share to meet new demand and to replace synthetic coatings is only just beginning.

Work to develop bio-based products to match the new high-performance requirements for coating applications should be speeded up to fill the projected gaps in quality and quantity.

The specific challenge of this topic is to employ bio-based formulations to meet the market requirements for the properties and performances of products used in coating applications.

Scope:

Develop innovative bio-based components for coating formulations to outperform state-of-the-art technical properties and sustainability aspects and meet new coating requirements in applications such as packaging materials for food, electronics, consumer goods, etc. Proposals should look at applying the new bio-based components in either a fully or a partially bio-based coating to meet requested performance levels.

In both cases, proposals should include testing the developed solution in the targeted application to prove:

• better characteristics and properties than current identified benchmarks; and
• a smaller environmental footprint than that of the currently available products.

It also includes all relevant and applicable processing technologies in the (thermo)chemical, chemical catalysis and biotechnological areas. Proposals should demonstrate at lab or pilot scale that the developed products and subsequent applications can make sustainable environmental and economic gains.

The industry should actively participate to demonstrate the potential for integrating the developed concepts into current industrial landscapes or existing plants so that the concepts can be deployed more quickly and scaled up to apply industrial-wide. Proposals should specifically demonstrate the benefits versus the state-of-the-art and existing technologies. This could be done by providing evidence of new processing solutions and new products obtained. Any potential hazards associated with the developed processes and products should be analysed to ensure that the products comply fully with REACH1 legislation and other toxicity requirements, safety requirements and any relevant EU legislation. Proposals should commit to carrying out a full assessment of the environmental impacts of the developed processes or products using LCA methodologies based on available standards, certification, accepted and validated approaches. For this topic, the LCA must not be focused on a set of critical issues only. Proposals should also include an economic viability performance check (value chain and market analysis) of the developed products and processes, along with an analysis of social impacts where applicable.

If relevant, proposals should also allow for pre- and co-normative research necessary for developing the needed product quality standards.

The technology readiness level (TRL)2 at the end of the project should be 5. Proposals should clearly state the starting TRL.

Proposals should seek complementarity with the existing projects funded under Horizon 2020 to avoid overlap, promote synergies and advance beyond the state-of-the-art.

Indicative funding:

It is considered that proposals requesting a contribution of between EUR 2 million and EUR 5 million would be able to address this specific challenge appropriately. However, this does not preclude the submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:

• contribute to KPI 1: create at least one new cross-sector interconnection in bio-based economy;
• contribute to KPI 2: set the basis for at least one new bio-based value chain;
• contribute to KPI 5: create at least two new bio-based materials including bio-based coatings in their formulation;
• contribute to KPI 8: validate at least one new and improved processing technology reflecting the ‘TRL gain’ since the start of the project;
• achieve lower environmental impacts for the developed coating formulations than state-of-the-art alternatives.

In the same framework, IED has already implemented several innovative projects in several fields which included innovative practices.  If you are interested in applying for this call you could contact us and further discuss the available options.

Deadline: 06 September 2018, 17:00 Brussels’ time (CET)

Eligibility of the applicants:

Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible:

• EU Member States.

1. Several applicants, submitting a joint proposal should choose within their midst a lead organisation, referred to as the coordinator. The coordinator and its partners must satisfy the same eligibility criteria.
2. Applications must be submitted by a legal person.
3. The consortium (i.e. the coordinator plus its partners) must be composed of a minimum of three (3) different legal entities located in at least three (3) Member States.
4. Applicants should demonstrate that they have proven experience in relation to all of the tasks and work packages described earlier in section 2.1 of the call text. This should include the provision of assistance to SMEs in the application of additive manufacturing techniques and the development of new products using this technology. Proposals should not, however, include applicants that are themselves facility centres or are directly involved in the day-to-day operations of such centres.
5. The participation of the same partner in more than one proposal is not permitted; proposals with a member that participates in more than one consortium submitting a project proposal are not eligible and will be excluded from the call.