New FURIOUS video - Biopolymers: the challenge of our times

Rethinking plastics with biopolymers

Biopolymers represent one of the most critical challenges of our time. As the world moves away from traditional petroleum-based plastics, scientists are racing to develop bio-based alternatives that can match their performance. In this context, the FURIOUS project is stepping up, aiming to improve the properties of biopolymers to make them viable for large-scale, high-performance use. 

“For any biopolymer, for any biobased material, it is a challenge to reach the properties that common plastics that are not biobased currently have”, declares Alfonso Jiménez, professor at the University of Alicante. 

To understand the challenges that researchers are facing, we have just published a video in collaboration with researchers from the University of Alicante.

🎥 Watch the video to understand how biopolymer technology is reshaping industries, from packaging to automotive to marine environments.

Closing the gap in performance and cost

While some biopolymers like PLA already show promise, particularly when compared to traditional polyesters such as PET, there's still ground to cover. The real breakthrough lies in reducing production costs while maintaining competitive properties. This dual challenge is where the FURIOUS project steps in, leveraging research and innovation to make bioplastics truly scalable and affordable.

One of the major hurdles in bioplastics production is scaling up. The FURIOUS project brings together companies and researchers to take that vital step toward industrialisation.

Inside the FURIOUS project: who's involved?

The NANOBIOPOL group of the University of Alicante is coordinating Work Package 3 and it is in charge of characterization tests of the produced biopolymers. They collaborate closely with the University of Bologna, BIO-MI, INSTM, and the University of Maastricht for specific applications like packaging, automotive, and underwater materials.

How are polymers characterized?

From mechanical strength to thermal resistance and barrier properties, the materials are tested under rigorous conditions. This helps researchers determine what must be improved, added, or removed to match the performance of conventional plastics. Ignacio Solaberrieta, researcher of the NANOBIOPOL group, provides a technical explanation of how these tests are conducted. 

“Characterizing a polymer means measuring its properties, knowing how it will behave in various situations, for example, at high or low temperatures or its barrier properties in packaging systems”.

During the video, he also introduces critical lab equipment such as the DSC, a thermal analysis device, or machines which can measure water-vapor permeability, a very important parameter, especially in materials used in packaging applications.

Real-world applications of FDCA-based biopolymers

FDCA-based biopolymers in the FURIOUS project are being developed for three key applications:

1. Medical and electronics packaging
2. Automotive components
3. Underwater materials

Each sector has very specific demands. For instance, packaging needs excellent barrier properties to protect from moisture and oxygen, automotive parts require high mechanical resistance, and marine materials must resist salt and cold temperatures.

“In the automotive case, resistance is needed, and in the case of underwater materials we obviously need it to react very well to a very high salt concentration and low temperatures”, Alfonso Jiméneze xplains .

Closing the loop: biodegradability and compostability

What happens to these materials at the end of their life? The FURIOUS team is also tackling this critical question. The project evaluates how biopolymers degrade, either into gases like CO₂ or by composting into nutrient-rich soil.

The future is FURIOUS

Through science, collaboration, and innovation, the FURIOUS project is redefining what sustainable materials can achieve. With every test and every breakthrough, we move closer to a future where bioplastics are not just an alternative, but the standard.

Click here to watch the full video and get an inside look at the labs, people, and passion driving this revolution in materials science.