Today more than ever, actions aimed at obtaining a more sustainable future are essential and valued by society. In the smart materials group, we are developing new bio-based and bio-degradable materials with performances comparable to those offered by polymers derived from non-renewable fossil resources and even with additional properties such as antimicrobial or antioxidant activities.
In this sense, a strong research line established for almost ten years in the group works to transform various renewable raw materials into bioplastics. Through this objective, we seek:
- Reduce the levels of pollution associated with the amount of plastic waste that is generated each year and accumulates in the environment,
- Reduce the generation of greenhouse gases
- Reduce the costs of bioplastics production
- Value discards from agro-food industries for the generation of new value-added products can be incorporated again into the productive sector, closing the production-use-discarding cycle and contributing to the bioeconomy.