TNO Activities in the BIOntier Project
There are two TNO teams working within the BIOntier project: Brightlands Materials Center (BMC) and Biobased and Circular Technologies (BCT).
Combining the complimentary expertise of these two research groups allows us to contribute to various activities within the project.
1.BCT’s Involvement:
BCT’s Current Activities: Biobased and Circular Technologies (BCT) focuses on producing lignin at lab scale and with different details. Additionally, we are preparing tests to evaluate different lignin performances for subsequent biocomposites production (e.g. Phosphorylation for flame retardants, methylation for LCF). The produced lignin is shared with the project partners for mechanical testing.
BCT’s Future Activities: Future activities will involve coordinating larger-scale campaigns with Fraunhofer to produce lignin in large volumes to be used in the selected prototypes.
This lignin will be converted by BIOntier partners into two products:
Lignin-based flame retardants for UC3 (Battery pack housing)
Lignin-based carbon fibers for UC5 (Hydrogen storage vessel)
These campaigns are planned to be carried out two times during the task to give room for potential adjustment to improve lignin quality.
2.BMC’s Involvement:
BMC’s Current Activities: Brightlands Materials Center (BMC) focuses on conceptual analysis and desk research of the end-of-life (EoL) methodology for various components studied within the project We are involved as subject matter experts in every aspect where EoL is considered. In the project, we are involved in all the use cases (UCs), aiming to identify the most suitable EoL scenario for each. This project involves six UCs across a wide range of applications—from aerospace to water treatment—requiring a multifaceted approach. We provide inputs to ensure that materials compatibility is respected and that no component or feature ends up in the parts to be recycled, which could compromise further processing or usage. Additionally, we have raised awareness among all partners to keep their post-industrial production parts and scrap waste in view of their valorization later in the project.
BMC’s Future Activities: Future activities will involve recycling and/or repairing selected UCs. We will also lead the two main recycling tasks in the project: WP4 where the scalability of the processes is developed, and WP7, where the EoL of parts will be performed. In this role, we will ensure to connect all relevant partners to achieve the best outcome for each UC, considering all the know-how and facilities of the partners in the consortium. On the practical side, we will use our facilities and experience in reprocessing TPC waste using our unique technology, aiming to retain mechanical properties as much as possible.