ACTION UNDER THE LIDER XV PROGRAMME

Implementing Authority: National Center for Research and Development

Program name: Leader XV

About the program: a program within the meaning of Article 2(2) of the Act on NCRD, whose purpose is to support the development of scientific staff, and in particular by financing programs addressed to young scientists within the meaning of Article 360(2) of the Act on Higher Education and Science, aimed at improving competence in independent planning, management and leadership of a research team, through the implementation of research projects whose results may have practical application and have implementation potential.

Beneficiary name: Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Heavy Organic Synthesis “Blachownia”.

Project manager: Hanna Nosal-Kovalenko, PhD

Project co-financed/financed by the National Center for Research and Development under the Leader XV program.

Grant agreement number: LEADER15/0062/2024

Value of the project: 1 796 737, 50 zł

Funding amount: 1 796 737, 50 zł

Implementation period: 01.05.2025 – 01.05.2028

Project Objective:

The aim of the project is to develop new biomodifiers for use in starch-based materials and their manufacturing technologies. The use of biomodifiers will improve the processability and usability of starch-based materials.

Products made from biodegradable biopolymers are attracting increasing interest, but as their popularity grows, problems related to their poor mechanical properties are becoming more apparent. One of the main constraints standing in the way of further popularization of starch-based materials is their technical performance related to use and processing.

In the first phase of the work, specific types of model biomodifiers differing in chemical structure will be synthesized. Their effect on the properties of starch-based materials will be studied. On this basis, the structures of biomodifiers with the highest efficiency will be selected.

For these structures, research will be carried out in the second phase of the work to determine the optimal synthesis conditions. The formulation of the starch-based material will also be determined, taking into account the composition of the polymer matrix and the optimal chemical structure of the biomodifiers used, so as to obtain a biodegradable material with good processing and functional properties at the highest possible starch content.

In the third phase of the project, design assumptions will be developed for industrial-scale production of the modifier. The final optimal formulation of the starch-based material containing the additive obtained according to the developed biomodifier/modifier technology and its application will also be determined.