The SUR3D project, coordinated by the INNOVI association with the support of Eurecat, OIMO Bioplastics, the Catalan Cork Institute Foundation (ICSuro) and the MAV Cluster, has developed a new biodegradable material from used cork stoppers.
This project was chosen by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism (MINCOTUR) in the call for Innovation Clusters 2022 and had a budget coming to €173,458.
Nowadays around 4,000 tonnes of cork stoppers are used in Spain. They are widely employed by wineries for their oenological properties and environmental and social sustainability unlike plastic and screw caps. Although the cork dust generated when these stoppers are made might be considered waste, it can nevertheless be used mainly to generate energy.
The SUR3D project, which ran from August 2022 to April 2023, harnessed this waste to get a new material with high added value which will open up a new market segment and is a prime example of the application of a circular economy and bioeconomy model.
In the project, OIMO was tasked with developing a new bioplastic formulation suitable for 3D printing with cork granulate taken from used cork stoppers. The polymer developed by OIMO is more than 80% bio-based and 100% biodegradable under natural conditions. This makes it stand out from other biopolymers on the market such as PLA, one of the most popular biomaterials in 3D printing due to its cost and ease of printing, since it is a biodegradable material in the industrial field but not under natural conditions.
Cork is also a natural, renewable and biodegradable material with a combination of properties which make it unique and versatile. These properties include its low density, high mechanical and fire resistance coupled with low thermal and electrical conductivity, plus it is also a good heat and sound insulator and highly elastic.
Competing with plastic
The new biomaterial has physical properties similar to cork such as low thermal conductivity while retaining the polymer’s natural biodegradability. Furthermore, adding cork to the formulation has made it possible to get a compound for 3D printing with mechanical properties superior to the cork-free polymer.
This means the enhanced properties of this new biomaterial can bring a great deal of versatility to 3D printing technologies and compete directly with other plastic-based products which have a higher environmental impact.
Over the coming months, the consortium will decide how to follow through on the project. The next steps will be largely based on looking for applications for the new biomaterial in thermal insulation and optimising the compound’s formulation for use in other processes such as injection moulding.
