AIMPLAS is making progress in these research areas with 14 new projects, funded by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i), which it will develop in collaboration with 26 companies until the middle of next year. These research projects aim to offer more sustainable solutions related to plastics in sectors such as construction, mobility, and packaging, as well as to protect quality of life and people's safety.

Safety is a common denominator in several of these AIMPLAS projects. For example, the main objective of the SAFEREUSE project is to evaluate the risks of reusable plastic items, considering the effects of microwaves and dishwashers, to guarantee the safety of food in contact with repeatedly used plastic items. Similarly, with the DECONWASTE project, the technology center will address effective decontamination methods for polyolefins, in order to obtain safe recycled materials suitable for use in food contact applications.

In the construction and mobility sectors, the NEOCOMP research project will enable the development of high-performance flame-retardant composite materials using advanced manufacturing technologies. These composite materials will be designed to meet requirements for energy efficiency, circularity, mechanical performance, and fire-retardant properties, thus contributing to a reduction in environmental impact.
The REFUGI project also focuses on the sustainable development of phosphorus-based flame retardants for integration into varnish formulations for use on wood. This aims to improve the fire-retardant properties of coatings used in the construction sector.

For the agricultural sector, AIMPLAS continues its work with environmental probiotics to reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture. Specifically, with BIOENCAPSULACIÓ 2, it will incorporate these microorganisms into plasticulture products for pest control in agricultural crops.

AIMPLAS is also addressing the safety of biodegradable and compostable plastic materials with the BIOSAFE project, which will conduct a comparative study of the substances that can migrate or be generated during the degradation processes of biodegradable and compostable plastics versus those of conventional plastics under realistic conditions. The study will also include toxicological evaluation using in vitro bioassays.

Finally, the EXTRACTOR project will develop a methodology for extracting microplastics from complex solid samples such as compost, soil, biota, etc. Reference materials will also be produced to refine the chromatographic analysis method, and bioassays will be conducted at different levels of the food chain to assess the potential risks of these contaminants.

Air Quality and Environmental Protection:
Furthermore, the Plastics Technology Institute will also focus other research on air quality and environmental protection. In this regard, the DACCO2 project will seek to improve air quality in urban areas, both indoors and outdoors, by developing active coatings for paints, fabrics, wood, and plastics used in street furniture that can directly capture air pollutants.

With a clear focus on environmental protection and the circular economy, the RECIPLUS project will propose different strategies for recycling multilayer plastic materials using innovative technologies based on mechanical, physicochemical, and biological methodologies. This type of waste is difficult to recycle and often ends up in landfills. High-quality recycled raw materials will be obtained for transformation into new plastic products for the market.

Offering more sustainable solutions to the market, specifically to the additive manufacturing industry for the transportation, street furniture, and interior design sectors, is the objective of MAT3D-XL. This project addresses the development of sustainable and recyclable composite materials for use in large-format robotic additive manufacturing systems, enabling the expansion of current market solutions with large-scale parts.

Meanwhile, the OASIS project will conduct an environmental study of four products in the packaging and toy sectors. This analysis will integrate ecodesign proposals and best practices, outline the product life cycle with an emphasis on preventing excessive waste generation, and comply with regional, national, and European legislation. This will allow for up-to-date information on these products to be available in a digital passport.

Biodegradability and fatigue life studies:
For the packaging sector, AIMPLAS will also develop the BIOPROCESS research project, which aims to improve the properties of biodegradable and/or compostable materials, such as mechanical and barrier properties, to obtain flexible biodegradable and/or compostable packaging with enhanced properties.

The CARACT4BIO project also focuses on biodegradability, with which the technology center seeks to understand the relationship between the characteristics of a biodegradable material and its intrinsic biodegradability under industrial composting conditions. This will allow companies to develop new bioplastics that are highly biodegradable under industrial composting conditions and that also offer significant advantages in terms of performance and functionality compared to conventional products.

Finally, with the EXHAUSTION project, AIMPLAS will address the need to reduce the time required for fatigue life characterization tests—tests that determine the expected lifespan of a material subjected to cyclic loading. These tests can take weeks, but in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, and wind energy, among others, there is a growing demand for reliable data in a shorter time.

aligned
with AIMPLAS's commitment to the SDGs, especially SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being, SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 Climate Action, and SDG 15 Life on Land.
These projects are included in the IVACE+i aid program aimed at technology centers in the Valencian Community for non-economic R&D projects carried out in collaboration with companies for the 2024 financial year, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union within the framework of the 2021-2027 Operational Program.

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