Electrochemical Conversion of CO2 Into Sustainable Plastic Materials - Technology Org | By The Digital Insider

The Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) Industrial Sustainable Chemistry group at the University of Amsterdam is among twelve partners in seven countries that will cooperate in the four-year HICCUPS project funded by the EU with 5 million euros. It aims to demonstrate the full value chain of producing PLGA packaging plastics from biogenic CO2 obtained from wastewater treatment.

Plastic cups – illustrative photo. Image credit: Layne Harris via Unsplash, free license

PLGA Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) is a polymer with excellent water vapour and gas barrier properties. It is fully biodegradable and completely made from renewable feedstock, making it a promising candidate for replacing fossil polyethene.

The HICCUPS consortium proposes a resource-efficient solution to produce PLGA plastics for the packaging industry, starting from biogenic CO₂ emissions from wastewater treatment plants. Hence the project acronym: “Highly innovative technology demonstration for bio-based CO₂ capture and utilization for production of bulk plastics applications”.

The HICCUPS project was launched in September and started with a kick-off meeting in Amsterdam. Funded by the EU programme Horizon Europe with 5M€, it will run until the end of August 2027.

Developing the full value chain

HICCUPS coordinator is the Amsterdam-based Dutch renewable chemistries developer Avantium. The PLGA polymer will be produced by combining two of its innovative technologies.

The first is the one-step electrochemical conversion of CO₂ to oxalic acid, followed by reduction to glycolic acid.

The second is the polymerisation of this CO₂-based glycolic acid into PLGA. Together with the partners in the HICCUPS consortium, the aim is to demonstrate the entire value chain, from biogenic CO₂ captured to the final application of PLGA for packaging purposes.

Packaging materials will be produced with PLGA film-coated paper and moulded plastic. Examples of this type of packaging include coated paper for food packaging.

At the University of Amsterdam’s Industrial Sustainable Chemistry group led by Prof. Gert-Jan Gruter, CTO of Avantium, a PhD student will work on a number of topics related to PLGA. The focus will be in particular on recyclability and end-of-life strategies.

In-depth research will be performed on the biodegradability of various glycolic acid based polyesters in different environments. The feedback provided to the consortium partners can then be used in application design.

Source: University of Amsterdam

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