Natural fibre composites: a natural look and feel, and sustainable
Natural fibre composites are plastics reinforced with natural fibres: mostly wood, bamboo, flax or hemp. They are increasingly used in consumer goods like watchcases, toys, combs and trays. The unique look and feel of these composites give the impression of a high-value product. German nova-Institute devoted a conference to them this month, the sixth in
Biobased industry review 2015
It’s been another busy year for the biobased chemicals and fuels team at NNFCC; as 2015 draws to a close we take a look at some of the year’s highlights. NNFCC, based in York, is one of the leading European biobased consultancy firms. With their kind permission we re-publish their 2015 review. By Adrian Higson
Lignin makes a take-off across the board, says Ludo Diels (Vito)
Ludo Diels, senior researcher sustainable chemistry at Vito, the Flemish institute for research of sustainable technologies, is very positive about the future of lignin. This third major wood component (after cellulose and hemicellulose) used to be a waste product, useful at most for energy production; now, research institutes and companies develop many applications. Three R&D
Photanol prepares itself for the market
Photanol, based in Amsterdam, has started tests in greenhouses at Bleiswijk (Nl), where cyanobacteria will produce fragrances and flavourings, and intermediates for the chemical industry, with no other feedstock than CO2 and sunlight. Dirk den Ouden, director at Photanol, gives an update. Photanol was founded in 2008 by the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and professors
Breeders’ rights, patents and genetic modification
European seed companies are worried about the future. The existing sector – particularly in the Netherlands, Germany and France – is founded upon plant breeders’ rights, but the patent system is gaining the upper hand. TTIP (the coming trade agreement between the EU and the US) could tip the balance towards patents. This is a
Systems thinking is not our forte
We all know the stories about DDT, fifty years ago – but did we learn from them? Not quite, says Ton Schoot Uiterkamp, a retired – but still very active – professor in environmental sciences at Groningen University. He has a lot of stories on his mind to prove his point. ‘We still do not
Isosorbide, a biobased molecule with a bright future
Last week, we could hear everything about the wonderful substance isosorbide, a biobased compound with many useful applications. We were in Lille and its surroundings, on an invitation of the regional development agency of Northern France, and among others visited the company Roquette, a major producer of chemicals derived from wheat and maize starch. Isosorbide
In memory of Wiero Beek
When in the seventies the discussion on the environmental problem erupted, Wiero Beek, then research director at Unilever, was one of the first industrialists who took the problem seriously. He devoted all his intellectual capacities to that task. Admirably so: in that polarised era, that was quite exceptional. In addition to that, he contributed to
on: 20 December 2015