Novel materials and

sustainable chemistry
A decade of EU-funded research
success stories
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E-mail: jose-lorenzo.valles@ec.europa.eu
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 EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Novel materials and

sustainable chemistry
A decade of EU-funded research

G. Hernández, S. Bøwadt and J.L. Vallés

Directorate - General for Research, Industrial technologies

2008 Unit G3 ‘Value – added materials’ EUR 23585 EN
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Table of contents

4 Mastering the building blocks essential for our daily lives

6 Materials and Chemistry in FP5

8 Clean route to precious metal catalyst recovery (2002-2005)

9 Catalyst system cuts eco-impact of pharmaceuticals manufacture (2002-2005)
10 On-the-spot hydrogen peroxide synthesis reduces processing risks (2002-2005)
11 Low-cost asthma sensor set to replace expensive hospital systems (2001-2004)
12 Cleaning up car exhausts (2001-2004)
13 Widespread application for anti-bacterial and anti-fouling
functionalised polymers (2001-2004)

14 Materials and Chemistry in FP6

16 ‘Solid smoke’ from cellulose (2004-2006)

17 Designer materials enhance pharmaceuticals purification (2004-2008)
18 Nanotechnology-based gas separation membranes exemplify
clean technology (2004-2007)
19 Bioprocessing improves on natural materials (2004-2007)
20 Network integrates EU catalysis research (2005-2010)
21 Better, safer lithium batteries for everyday applications (2007-2009)
22 Virtual laboratory unites European nanopore researchers (2004-2008)
23 Ligand bank cuts process development times (2004-2006)
24 Materials developments enhance nanocatalyst performance (2005-2008)
25 High-performance nanocomposites mimic nature (2005-2008)
26 European Membrane House coordinates key domain (2004-2009)
27 Polysaccharides to replace oils as source of tomorrow’s polymers? (2005-2009)

4 N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
Mastering the building blocks essential for our
Chemistry is the science of the atomic and molecular
constituents of the real world: everything we see,
smell, touch and taste is shaped through chemistry.
Chemicals are the building blocks of all the materials
we use, the air we breathe, the food we consume – and
even of our bodies themselves. Given this ubiquitous
nature, the industrial manipulation of basic chemicals,
frequently relying on new functionalised materials such
as catalysts or membranes, impacts on virtually every
aspect of our existence. Materials developments can
therefore result in chemical process innovations capable
of reducing costs, improving product performance and
enhancing the quality of life. Chemistry is capable, on the
other hand, of selectively modifying existing materials to
tailor them for specific applications, for example by reshap-
ing a polymeric structure or by adding functional groups
to a surface.
Purpose-designed chemical products are essential to our
power generating and storage systems, our transport
infrastructure, our computers and mobile phones, our
healthcare and security devices, our leisure and sporting
accessories. Man-made chemical compounds fulfil vital
roles in medical treatments, in food production and pro-
tection, in paints and dyestuffs, in hygiene and cosmetic
products… The list is endless.
€145 million
58 projects
d
Chemical industry
transformation essential
In the past, much of the chemical industry has been char-
acterised by an exploitive use of natural resources, often
taking insufficient account of the environmental conse-
quences. Today, however, there is widespread recognition
of the need to adopt cleaner, sustainable practices
by switching from a resource-intensive to a knowledge-
based approach.
The goal of sustainable chemistry is to meet the needs
of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs. Using and
building on our accumulated chemical knowledge and
expertise can help to provide a solution to the challenge
of climate change. By developing sound biological
and eco-efficient processes, reducing the environmental
impact of industrial processes and products, optimising
the use of finite resources and minimising waste, know-
ledge-based chemistry can also contribute greatly to
‘doing more with less’.
Prime examples can be seen in the use of silicon and pol-
ymers to produce the sub-micron-sized components of
modern information and communications technologies,
the miniaturised, powerful and long-lasting batteries, which
EU funding on Novel materials and sustainable
chemistry under FP5 and FP6
FP5
€57.3 million
36 projects
FP6
 A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
r daily lives
have revolutionized our use of electronic gadgets during
the last decade, and in the nanotechnology enhanced
sensors and instruments that now form an integral part of
today’s medical diagnosis and intervention.
Materials innovation leading to sustainable chemical tech-
nologies is key to protecting and expanding employment
in Europe by ensuring the continuing competitiveness of
the EU chemical industry. Materials development obtained
through chemical processes also creates opportunities for
new enterprises in the materials and chemicals sectors.
Directions for change
The requirements of tomorrow’s technology translate
directly into increasingly stringent demands on the chem-
icals: their intrinsic properties, their cost, their processing
and fabrication, and their recyclability. This leads indirect-
ly to demands on the tailor-made materials involved in their
transformation and processing. The focus on eco-efficiency
requires complete life cycle analysis to be conducted on
newly developed products, considering both the ecological
and economic aspects.
A variety of new technologies and approaches is emerg-
ing to answer these needs by offering more rapid paths to
the discovery, characterisation and direct molecular-level
Total number of projects in FP5 per subarea (€57.3 million)
Hybrid materials
4 7
12
Chemical processing
of materials
14
Catalysis and chemical
technologies
6
Polymer chemistry
 5
control of the materials essential for the design of advanced
chemical processes. Nanotechnologies and molecular mod-
elling strategies provide the tools for a more precise handling
of the chemical reactions leading, for instance, to materials
functionalisation.
Crossing new technological frontiers involves under-
standing and optimising material combinations and their
synergistic functions in multi-material devices. Exciting
products are also likely to arise from the integration of
traditional and nano-structured materials.
This is why the EU is a strong supporter of research for
the development of such innovative materials, in partic-
ular of those for use in sustainable chemical technologies
or produced thanks to them. In the following, a few ex-
amples are shown of successful projects funded within
this research area by the NMP Theme during FP5 and FP6.
Total number of projects in FP6 per subarea (€145 million)
Chemistry for energy
Chemical processing
of materials
13
17
Hybrid materials
9
Polymer chemistry
12
Catalysis and chemical
technologies
❉ Materials and Chemistry in FP5

Types Number of EC funding

contracts
CR 1 €0.5 million
RS 35 €56.8 million
Grand Total 36 €57.3 million

CR = Cooperative Research (CRAFT) Projects

RS = Research Projects

8 N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
Clean route to precious metal catalyst recovery (2002-2005)
Bio-inspired processes eliminate aggressive chemicals in catalyst production.
Strategic precious metals (SPMs) are important as catalysts
for chemical and pharmaceutical manufacture, as well as
for fuel cells and automotive exhaust systems. As demand
increases, the price of SPMs is rising – and the commercial
and technical need for cost-effective recycling becomes more
pressing.
Current recycling techniques use concentrated and/or aggres-
sive chemicals, are energy-intensive and generally inefficient.
For example, only around 6 % of the SPMs in car catalysts are
recovered. Considerable economic advantage could thus be
gained by developing simpler, higher-yielding processes for
extracting these valuable catalysts from waste.
The three-year BIO-CAT project set out to produce improved
catalysts from recovered SPMs by combining two biotech-
nologies into a single process, permitting clean recovery and
bulk synthesis into novel bionanocrystalline material forms.
The partners also developed biotemplates comprising whole
cells and proteins for Pd nanocluster preparation, involving
controlled adsorption of Pd ions and reduction of the Pd
clusters using hydrogen.
To demonstrate the benefits of this approach, the perform-
ance of biologically-produced palladium – ’Bio-Pd0’ – as
a chemical catalyst was compared with that of chemically-
produced Pd catalysts.
A single cell of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (a) (TEM, negative staining)
palladised D. desulfuricans cells (b) (SEM).
Palladised biomass of
D. desulfuricans, cells harvested
at the middle of exponential
phase. High catalytic activity.
G5RD-CT-2002-00750 – BIO-CAT
Novel precious-metal-based bionanocatalysts from scrap
Total cost: €2 362 274 | EC contribution: €1 555 478
Project duration: May 2002 – April 2005 (36 months)
Coordinator: Wolfgang Skibar – C-Tech Innovation Limited, Chester, United Kingdom
❉ Project successes
Four biosystems have been developed: crystalline bacte-
rial cell surface layer (S-layer) proteins and hydrogenase were
synthesised in vitro; while in vivo processes delivered a range
of hydrogenase-containing bacteria and an S-layer protein
incorporating the bacterium bacillus sphaericus.
New nanocatalysts resulted from controlled adsorption
of Pd ions from metal-salt solutions on the biotemplates,
followed by reduction of the Pd clusters with an external
hydrogen source.
Laboratory-scale systems for biological Pd-nanocluster
preparation have been designed, built, demonstrated and
evaluated. Bionanocrystals of Pd0 with good catalytic
activity have been produced in the laboratory. Although
their catalytic efficiency is not yet markedly superior to that
of commercial products for reactions such as the reduc-
tion of hexavalent chromium, oxidation of itaconic acid
and the hydrogenation of various double-bonded com-
pounds, it is still a very exciting result considering that the
catalysts are made out of recycled materials.
One system is the ‘flow-through electroporous cell’:
a tubular cell comprising a number of cylindrical sections,
one of which contains a carbon support for immobilisa-
tion of biomaterial from the flowing Pd-salt solution.
The second is a column bioreactor, which is an adsorption
tower with an external hydrogen source. Biomaterial, either
immobilised on carriers or as free-floating powders, can
be coated with metal in the presence of the salt solution.
Until the processes have been fully developed and opti-
mised for commercial production, the project’s SPM recov-
ery methods will be used to treat liquid processing waste
provided by a precious metal catalyst producer.
A European patent filed on ‘Use of bacterium strains for
the preparation of bimetallic biocatalysts, in particular for
the preparation of palladium biocatalysts’, secures the
essential IPR of the initiative.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Catalyst system cuts eco-impact of pharmaceuticals
manufacture (2002-2005)
Catalysed microchannel oxidation allows effluent-free pharmaceuticals production.
Existing processes for the oxidation of oxygenated mole-
cules, as required for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals
and fine chemicals, tend to use either stoichiometric
amounts of nitric acid or inorganic oxidants, notably Cr 4+,
both of which have significant environmental impacts.
The CREATION project aimed to overcome this problem
by using air oxidation with heterogeneous catalysts in an
aqueous environment, whereby water would be the only
reaction by-product – thus reducing both gaseous and
liquid effluents. The achievement of high purity, high
yield production directly from this reaction would require
both high conversion and high selectivity.
The proposal envisaged the development of a compact
microchannel reactor system suitable for use in three-
phase catalytic air oxidation reactions. The intention was
to provide precise control of oxygen concentration along
the reaction pathway, enhanced gas-liquid-solid mixing
and improved heat transfer.
In order to optimise catalyst performance in the confines
of the microchannel geometry, a carbon catalyst support
system with precisely tailored nano/micro/mesopore struc-
ture was also required, together with a suitable bimetallic
catalyst system.
Micro-channel reactor pilot plant Indirect fired rotary kiln for
assembly using mesoporous carbon conversion of polymer beads.
bead supported catalysts.
G5RD-CT-2002-00724 – CREATION
Compact reactor and carbon supported catalyst system for multiphase air oxidation
Total cost: €2 302 698 | EC contribution: €1 370 574
Project duration: April 2002 – September 2005 (42 months)
Coordinator: Pawel Plucinski – University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
 9
❉ Project successes
Small-scale production of controlled meso- and micro-
porous carbon with controlled surface chemistry and particle
size was accomplished. A patent has been granted.
A Pt based catalyst suitable for pharmaceutical manufac-
ture applications was developed – although work on fine
chemicals was abandoned due to technical problems.
Early demonstrations showed that a range of pharmaceuti-
cally important reagents can be converted at rates better
than 95 %, and isolated with yields higher than 90 %.
An optimised micro-channel reactor was constructed
in accordance with the design specification, as well as
a spherical mesoporous carbon catalyst support system.
Measurements showed that control of the mesoporosity
is crucial to the achievement of high conversion rates.
Results from the catalytic oxidation experiments proved
that the optimised multichannel reactor is suitable for three-
phase catalytic reactions. Conversions rates up to 75 % per
10 cm bed length were obtained.
This significant achievement in performance is due largely
to a method used to integrate heat transfer, mixing and
reaction functionality into a single reactor, as well as to the
choice of reaction channel sizes.
Based on the results of the study, a 2kg/hour (isolated prod-
uct yield) reactor has been designed and manufactured to
demonstrate the viability of multichannel multifunctional
compact reactor technology for the manufacture of fine
chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates.
In conclusion, it is shown that the developed compact multi-
channel reactor shows considerable promise for the catalytic
oxidation of organic feedstocks to produce pharmaceutical
intermediates and products. From the obtained results it
seems plausible that the reactor concept can be extended to
other gas/liquid/solid catalytic systems.

10
On-the-spot hydrogen peroxide synthesis
reduces processing risks (2002-2005)
In situ oxidant production shows promise for clean, hazard-free manufacture.
Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, is a clean oxidant with a high
active oxygen content, which gives water as its sole by-
product. It is used as a ‘green’ reagent in the bleaching
of paper, cellulose and textiles, as well as in environ-
mental applications such as water purification and the
manufacture of chemicals.
Development of an economically viable process for in situ
H2O2 manufacture would provide Europe’s chemical indus-
try with a leading-edge technology for oxidation applica-
tions. It could help to eliminate risks associated with
the large-scale transport and storage of this highly active
substance, while also facilitating its use in a wider range
of reactions.
The initial goal of the three-year NEOPS project was to
develop an effective, selective and reliable catalytic mem-
brane reactor for the synthesis of H2O2 from hydrogen and
water. The next step would be to prove the concept of an
integrated technology employing H2O2 produced in situ
for eco-efficient reactions based on selective oxidation for
small- and large-scale market applications, such as phenol
synthesis and the epoxidation/hydroxylation of chemicals
of interest for fine chemicals production.
Interaction of
benzene with TS-1
catalyst sites for its
hydroxylation
to phenol.
G5RD-CT-2002-00678 – NEOPS
Novel Eco-efficient oxidation processes based on H2O2 synthesis on catalytic membranes
Total cost: €3 487 550 | EC contribution: €1 891 128
Project duration: May 2002 – July 2005 (36 months)
Coordinator: Gabriele Centi – Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza
e Tecnologia dei Materiali, Firenze, Italy
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
Carbon ceramic-coated membranes adaptable to multi-
phase reactions have been prepared.
A prototype tubular catalytic membrane reactor has
been developed, and good results achieved in the syn-
thesis of H2O2.
Optimal catalysts and reaction conditions for the direct
selective oxidation of benzene to phenol, alkene epoxi-
dation and phenol hydroxylation using the H2O2 solution
produced by direct H2O2 synthesis have been identified.
Significant progress was made in selective oxidation
reactions, but further research will be needed to improve
the understanding of structure-activity relationships in the
catalyst as the means to improve selectivity and perform-
ance in line with relevant industrial needs. The project’s
techno-economical feasibility study also indicates that the
integrated process is not currently competitive enough.
Additional work will be required to prove whether in situ
production and use of H2O2 in selective oxidation can
become fully viable.
A German patent application has been lodged on ‘Opti-
mized reactant concentration profiles in the catalytic layer
in the membrane assisted direct synthesis of hydrogen
peroxide as a key to high selectivity’.
New direct process of
benzene hydroxylation
to phenol using H2O2
in comparison with
the commercial process
via cumene.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Low-cost asthma sensor set to replace expensive
hospital systems (2001-2004)
NOx-sensing device costing €1 slashes cost of monitoring lung patients.
Around 25 million Europeans are afflicted by asthma. The
prevalence of the condition has risen over the past 20 years,
especially among children, where it is now approaching
15 % in Western Europe.
A useful way to measure the degree to which this disease
causes inflammation of sufferers’ airways is to measure
the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in the exhaled air.
However, current inflammation measurement techniques
are time-consuming, expensive and sometimes invasive.
Although newly developed technologies enable some
non-invasive pulmonary tests to be performed easily and
repeatedly, the equipment currently costs approximately
$25 000, and is neither mobile nor cheap to operate.
Sensor for asthma.
Molecular controlled semiconductor resistor (MOCSER).
G5RD-CT-2001-00569 – SENTIMATS
Development of a sensor for NO based on a hybrid organic-semiconductor device for detection of asthma
Total cost: €1 961 758 | EC contribution: €1 159 190
Project duration: December 2001 – November 2004 (36 months)
Coordinator: Ron Naaman – Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
 11
The SENTIMATS project targeted the introduction of inex-
pensive, sensitive and reliable NO tests for patient diag-
nosis and monitoring. The objective was to develop the
principle and a prototype of a selective but low-cost type
of hybrid organic/inorganic sensor for this purpose. This
would be based on the seemingly simple concept of replac-
ing the logic gate in a transistor-like device by sensor mol-
ecules that react with the compound of interest, causing
changes in the current passing through the transistor.
The aim was to produce a chip-based sensor that would
cost less than €1 to make, and could be embedded in
a device that could become commonplace in clinics, doctors’
surgeries and homes.
❉ Project successes
A new type of hybrid organic/inorganic sensor based
on GaAs/AlGaAs or silicon-oxide-coated GaAs/AlGaAs
devices has been developed and patented. This has been
shown to be extremely sensitive to the electrical potential
on its surface, which is measurably affected by the adsorp-
tion of NO on the chemical sensing molecules attached on
the surface. The sensor can detect NO at 1 ppb concentra-
tion, and has a selectivity of about 1:108 against various
gases like water, oxygen, CO2 and CO.
The partners have devised a procedure to prepare the
GaAs surface for adsorption.
Negotiations are now underway regarding commercial
production.

12
Cleaning up car exhausts (2002-2005)
Electrochemically promoted catalysis explored as route to reduce acidic emissions.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) from vehicle exhaust emissions
contribute to both the ‘greenhouse gas’ content of the
atmosphere and the generation of acid rain.
The SMART project studied the application of advanced
materials with self-tuneable and adaptive activity as novel
catalytic devices for the removal of NOx from the exhaust
output of lean-burn and diesel engines, which contains
oxygen concentrations of up to 20 %. It also explored
highly sensitive NOx sensors, able to operate with these
oxygen concentrations.
The aims were to reduce NOx emissions by more than
50 % in the presence of oxygen, and to develop sensors
able to detect NOx at concentrations below 100 ppm.
This involved demonstrating the techno-economical
feasibility and advantages of combining and integrating
NOx sensors and catalysts.
A further intention was to show the feasibility of de-
veloping smart catalytic devices for a range of different
applications.
G5RD-CT-2002-00710 – SMART
NOx abatement systems for next-generation environmental technologies
Total cost: €4 166 090 | EC contribution: €2 480 384
Project duration: April 2002 – March 2005 (36 months)
Coordinator: Sabine Thiemann-Handler – Robert Bosch GmbH, Gerlingen, Germany
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
A new monolithic-type electrochemically-promoted
reactor (MEPR) was produced, the prototype of which
functioned satisfactory in O2 concentrations lower than
2 %. Further development to achieve significant NOx con-
version in a real lean exhaust environment, with O2 con-
centrations in the region of 10 %, was not possible within
the project period.
A patent was registered on ‘Method and apparatus for
carrying out electrochemically promoted reactions’.
Four complete devices integrating a sensor and a cata-
lyst with different numbers of sensor and catalyst plates
were constructed and tested.
The concept of a constant current potentiometric NOx
sensor (CCP sensor) was demonstrated, while the prin-
ciples of a multilayer ceramic amperometric sensor
(MCA) were also established. Work continued to validate
and scale-up the latter to a commercial stage.
Both types of sensors were able to detect NOx at concen-
trations lower than 100 ppm.
Assembling the MEPR
integrated device:
integration of sensor
and catalyst plates into
one single device.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Widespread application for anti-bacterial and
anti-fouling functionalised polymers (2001-2004)
Built-in functional groups improve polymers’ resistance to infective agents and algal growth.
There is an emerging market for antimicrobials and anti-
fouling additives in plastics for pharmaceutical packaging,
fishing nets and underwater constructions, as well as for
textile yarns and fibres. Suitable active agents are often
mentioned in the literature – but, prior to the SPAN project,
only few compounds had yet been commercialised.
Two main factors determine the efficacy of an antimicrobial
compound:
• the ability to inhibit microbial growth (biostatic effect);
• the tendency to bind to microorganisms and subsequently
kill them (biocide effect).
The partners in SPAN sought both to develop antimicro-
bial oligomers for incorporation into conventional poly-
mers, and to chemically modify polymeric materials bearing
functional groups with suitable antimicrobial properties.
Synthesising a novel antimicrobial polymeric material in
a way that allowed controlled release of the antimicrobial
effect over an extended period of time was seen as one
viable method of providing protection against a broad
spectrum of bacteria or fouling organisms, without creating
hazard to the environment or end user.
The envisaged approach for creating polymers with anti-
bacterial properties was a considerable advance on existing
products. Their performance would no longer depend on
small bacteriostatic molecules incorporated by simple mix-
ing into polymeric matrices with little control over uniform-
ity in dispersion, migration and leaching. The antibacterial
action would rather derive from groups located on the
backbone of the polymer chain, thus being part of the
polymer itself.
SEM of composites
containing elementary
silver powder (JMAC).
G5RD-CT-2001-00568 – SPAN
Specialty antimicrobial polymeric materials
Total cost: €1 950 163 | EC contribution: €1 209 204
Project duration: November 2001 – October 2004 (36 months)
Coordinator: Alexis Stassinopoulos – Argo S.A., Koropi, Greece
 13
Since no chlorine or heavy metals were involved in the
proposed approach, and the final polymers would remain
recyclable, they could be treated as commodity plastics
without environmental restrictions.
❉ Project successes
Compounds from three different classes have proved
to have antimicrobial or antifouling properties. End products
including injection moulded containers and yarns were
produced and successfully tested at pilot scale.
Protection of fibres either by oligomers with antibacterial
or antifouling properties, or by silver microparticles, has been
demonstrated.
A patent on ‘High density polyethylene (HDPE) with pro-
nounced antimicrobial properties’ was granted in Greece
and is pending at European level.
Following completion of the three-year project, one devel-
opment line being pursued is yarn for outdoor use, with
antifouling protection by antimicrobial oligomers. Another
is antimicrobial filaments protected by silver nanoparticles,
made using a process that increases fibre quality and
decreases the amount of silver required. This makes them
particularly suitable for use in medical wear, due to their
low toxicity.
SEM micrographs
showing the dispersion
of two silver powders in
a PA matrix.
❉ Materials and Chemistry in FP6

Types Number of EC funding

contracts
IP 3 €38.7 million
STREP 55 €106.3 million
Grand Total 58 €145.0 million

IP = Integrated Projects
STREP = Specific Targeted Research Projects

16
‘Solid smoke’ from cellulose (2004-2006)
Renewable solid aerogels poised for widespread application when costs become more competitive.
Aerogels are ultra-light solids produced by extracting
the liquid component of a gel by supercritical drying,
which allows the liquid to be drawn off without causing
the solid matrix to collapse. The resultant material has
extremely low density and in the case of silica aerogels is
semi-transparent, giving rise to the popular names ‘solid
smoke’ or ‘blue smoke’.
The goal of the AEROCELL project was to produce aero-
gels with nano- or submicron-sized pore structures from
renewable natural polymers, especially cellulose. The po-
tential of such materials, which have huge specific surface
areas and are biodegradable, was seen to be enormous.
Applications were envisaged in many different fields, in-
cluding packaging, controlled release and delivery systems,
electrochemistry, fuel cell hydrogen storage, chromato-
graphy columns, thermal and acoustic insulation and plant
growth supports.
At the time of the project launch, this was largely unex-
plored territory. Nothing was known apart from a scien-
tific paper reporting an attempt to prepare an aerogel from
a cellulose-derivative solution, and a first successful pre-
liminary test made at the end of 2002 to prepare a pure
ultra-light cellulose structure. The development of aerocel-
lulose depended upon bringing together multidisciplinary
teams to acquire basic new knowledge and exploit the
synergy between the different scientific areas.
Areocellulose beads
from the early stages
of the project.
Aerocellulose was
produced in different
shapes, e.g. beads
or cylinders.
NMP3-CT-2003-505888 – AEROCELL
Aerocellulose and its carbon counterparts – porous, multifunctional nanomaterials from renewable resources
Total cost: €4 250 745 | EC contribution: €2 299 376
Project duration: January 2004 – December 2006 (36 months)
Coordinator: Hedda Weber – Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft, Research and Development, Lenzing, Austria
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
Aerocellulose was successfully obtained from cellulose/
NaOH/water solutions. A production path via N-methyl-
morpholine-N-oxide (NMMO)-route was optimised and
streamlined.
A new family of aerogels, made by urethane cross-
linking of cellulose acetate, showed promise for applications
in thermal insulation. Highly porous aerocellulose material
developed via a cellulose carbamate route appeared inter-
esting for loading with non-aqueous liquids. Working with
different cellulose solutions revealed that cellulose was
generally suited for the production of spherical particles
with diameters in the range of 300-1 200 μm using a so
called jetcutter technology.
Four supercritical drying procedures were developed
at pilot and full scale, and a pilot plant with a drying volume
of 20 litres was designed. A feasibility study considered
a plant with drying volumes of 1-5 m3.
A wide range of carbon aerogels (CA) was produced
by pyrolysis for subsequent evaluation. Their use for super-
capacitor purposes proved problematic, but most could
yield better results with further future development. The
utilisation of CA from cellulose in industrial batteries was
shown to be possible, with minor modification of the
assembly process.
The best aerocellulose samples were also characterised and
tested for various applications. They unfortunately proved
to be unsuitable for packaging or cosmetics use, but were
found to be interesting as a carrier for the solidification of
non-aqueous liquid surfactants and oils. However, the cost
remains a barrier to commercial exploitation.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
 17

Designer materials enhance pharmaceuticals

purification (2004-2008)
New materials and systems unblock production bottleneck for urgently-needed drugs.

Current development of new pharmaceutical products ❉ Project successes

such as fermentation-based antibodies, recombinant pro-
teins and monoclonal antibodies (MAB) creates an urgent
need for improved production technologies.
The market for MABs is growing at an annual rate of 20 %;
more than 120 are now being developed and tested. They
could theoretically be used for successful treatment of
various illnesses, including cancer and Alzheimer’s, but
production capacities will not meet the demand when they
are commercially launched.
To bridge this gap, the Integrated Project AIMs is target-
ing significant enhancements in the downstream process-
ing of such biopharmaceuticals. This entails the design
of new interactive materials for the purification of MABs,
and the development of new, high capacity purification
technologies.
Experimentally validated molecular modelling strategies
are being used to improve the understanding of material/
product interactions, while the integration of materials
and process design should greatly increase process effi-
ciency at an early development stage. The intention is to
establish reliable, highly flexible computer-aided design
strategies.
© SARTORIOUS AG
At the time of publication, new chromatographic beads
with tuneable properties and enhanced mechanical stabil-
ity (chromatographic resin FractoAIMs) had been developed
and produced, as had affinity membranes (SartoAIMs
protein A affinity membrane) with an open pore structure
that significantly increases capacity.
The validated molecular modelling allowed prediction of
the interaction between support, ligand and product
for various types of system.
Development of a continuous chromatographic unit for
the purification of MABs with ion-exchange materials is
complete. In addition, a multi-stage aqueous two-phase
extraction unit has been developed and scaled-up.
Detailed process models have been produced for chro-
matography, membrane separation and extraction, together
with software interfaces that allow for an easy exchange
of data between the detailed unit operation models and
a generic process model.
© POLITECNICO DI MILANO

SEM image of an affinity membrane with open pore structure. Final structure of the system IgG (green), ligand
(orange), linker (yellow), and support (blue).

NMP3-CT-2004-500160 – AIMs
Advanced interactive materials by design
Total cost: €19 712 232 | EC contribution: €11 400 547
Project duration: April 2004 – September 2008 (54 months)
Coordinator: Andrzej Górak – Dortmund University of Technology, Dept of Bio- and Chemical Engineering,
Laboratory of Fluid Separations, Dortmund, Germany

18
Nanotechnology-based gas separation membranes exemplify
clean technology (2004-2007)
European nanoscience is improving polymer membrane performance for industry and medicine.
Membrane technologies are model examples of sustain-
able development: they generally function at moderate
temperatures, and do not involve energy-consuming phase
changes or chemical additives. They are simple in concept
and operation, modular, easy to scale-up – and have great
potential for more rational utilisation, recovery and re-use
of chemicals.
With a 10-20 % annual growth rate, the world market
for membranes with industrial and medical applications
is expected to exceed €2.7 billion in a decade. With the
exception of membranes for medical therapy, however,
European industry remains relatively underdeveloped in
this area.
The EU nevertheless enjoys a strong position in the na-
nosciences, which opens new avenues to the design of
complex high-performance multifunctional membranes.
Combining polymers with inorganic nanoparticles gives
rise to porous materials with selectivities far better than
PMP/TiO2 membrane, which those of pure polymers for the separation of liquids and
was developed in Compose. gas mixtures such as O2/N2, CO2/CH4 and butane/methane.
The membrane has been
produced into a module and The COMPOSE project investigated a series of nano-
is now being tested for structured organic/inorganic hybrid materials for this pur-
natural gas purification. pose. It also conducted research into the self-assembly of
supramolecular structures (the building principle behind
biological membranes) in order to establish the technical
feasibility of employing such an approach to manufacture
new membranes. Further studies explored the application of
these developments in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals
industries.
SEM photo of block copolymer membrane with a very regular
porous structure. The membrane has been prepared by simultaneous
self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation. A patent
for this totally new membrane formation method is pending.
NMP3-CT-2003-505633 – COMPOSE
Multicomponent nanostructured materials for separation membranes
Total cost: €2 864 839 | EC contribution: €1 829 719
Project duration: March 2004 – July 2007 (42 months)
Coordinator: Klaus-Viktor Peinemann – GKSS Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmBH, Institute of Chemistry,
Department of Membrane Development, Geesthacht, Germany
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
A novel poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne)/TiO2 nanocomposite
membrane for butane/methane separation was incor-
porated into a module that is now being tested as a means
of natural gas purification.
Another new membrane based on a cellulose polymer
modified with a nano-sized filler has been shown to offer
excellent properties for oxygen enrichment, and is now
being tested by an industrial user.
A layer-by-layer process for the preparation of aligned
flakes in a matrix of poly(dimethylisoloxane) rubber was
developed. With this, it was possible to achieve a remarka-
bly high selectivity in separating helium and hydrogen
from nitrogen.
Prototype membranes resistant to organic solvents
have been prepared, characterised and incorporated into
a bench-scale nanofiltration test unit.
Thin films of self-organising block copolymers on con-
ventional microporous supports were made. On dense
substrates, it proved possible to grow thin films with
hexagonally ordered pores orientated perpendicularly
to the film plane. This structure is extremely interesting for
membrane manufacture.
A combination of the well-established non-solvent-induced
phase separation method of membrane formation with the
self-assembly of a block copolymer has been demonstrated
in a straightforward and very rapid one-step proce-
dure for producing an asymmetric membrane of block
copolymer with a highly ordered layer on top of a non-
ordered sponge-like layer.
A patent application has been entered for ‘New mem-
brane formation method by simultaneous self-assembly
and non-solvent induced phase separation’.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Bioprocessing improves on natural materials (2004-2007)
Reel of chicken feather paper
made at the University
of Manchester.
SEM image of chicken
feather paper: flat cellulose
(wood pulp) fibres
and individual chicken
feather fibres.
Functionalisation by enzyme grafting creates new uses for wool, hide and feather.
Over millions of years, nature has evolved fibrous materi-
als such as wool, silk, leather and feather, with unique
physical and chemical structures giving rise to remarkable
combinations of surface and bulk properties. The HIPER-
MAX project team sought to build on these matrices
through bioprocess engineering, introducing innovative
enzymatic technologies to modify and improve the estab-
lished materials with a view to their exploitation in various
industrial sectors.
The project covered four main areas:
• analysis and definition of the accessibility of useful tar-
gets in natural proteins e.g. amino, hydroxyl, sulfhydryl,
carboxyl or carboxamide groups;
• screening for novel enzymes to catalyse the modification
of surface and bulk properties of the protein matrices, fol-
lowed by production of those enzymes at pilot scale;
• mechanistic investigations of the enzymatic reactions on
modelled and real substrates;
• exploitation of enzymes for surface and bulk modification
of the protein matrices in order to develop engineered
materials.
❉ Project successes
Novel sulfhydriloxidases (SOXs) were screened and charac-
terised, with the aim of incorporating molecules with
desired functionalities into proteinaceous fibres by
means of enzymatic grafting. The potential of fungal tyro-
sinase to catalyse grafting of functionalities onto wood and
silk was also assessed.
New transglutaminase (TGase) genes have been identified.
Screening of large culture collections and isolates identi-
fied six novel microbes as suitable TGase sources.
Modelling of TGase-catalysed grafting and cross-
linking of amines to protein substrates was confirmed
via mass spectrometry.
Tyrosinase-catalysed grafting of phenolic and thiol com-
pounds into wool and silk fibres was verified.
NMP3-CT-2003-505790 – HIPERMAX
High performance industrial protein matrices through bioprocessing
Total cost: €4 257 412 | EC contribution: €2 997 283
Project duration: March 2004 – May 2007 (39 months)
Coordinator: Elisabeth Heine – DWI an der Rwth Aachen e.V., Aachen, Germany
 19
TGase and tyrosinase were applied to improve the ten-
sile strength and shrink resistance of untreated and
air-plasma-treated wool. The chemical reactivity and
accessibility of target residues in wool and silk have been
analysed and a database set up.
Tyrosinase-catalysed production of protein-polysaccha-
ride bioconjugates and surface functionalisation of
protein materials was demonstrated.
The production of moulded products and paper from
feathers is undergoing further evaluation. In all, 30 com-
mercially feasible feather- and wool-based products
were made on a semi-industrial scale.
An important outcome of the project is the efficient uti-
lisation of waste poultry feathers in the manufacture of
mixed paper/feather products. The project has realised
a unique manufacturing process whereby substituting
enzyme-treated feathers for pulp and paper in innova-
tive non-woven packaging products seems to be com-
mercially competitive. Considering that in the UK alone
some 2 000 tonnes of feathers are produced per week,
which previously could only be disposed of in landfills or
by burning, this is a truly important result for society.
Functionalised protein matrices of interest for tissue
engineering and medical devices such as scaffolds have
been produced from blends of silk fibroin/gelatine and
hydroxyapatite/collagen sponges. Enzyme-catalysed treat-
ment of hide powder and leather were also shown to
impart anti-odour properties and improve dyeing.
Melt-extruded guides for peripheral nerve repair
have been manufactured from blends between poly(ε-
caprolactone) and gelatine, with inner surfaces function-
alised by poly(L-lysine).
Two patent applications have been submitted, respec-
tively on ‘Production of hollow conduits based on natural
and synthetic polymers for applications in peripheral
nerve regeneration’ and ‘Use of thiol groups in tyrosinase-
catalysed grafting’.

20
Network integrates EU catalysis research (2005-2010)
Europe-wide institute pools equipment and expertise in search for next-generation
sustainable catalysts.
The development of high-performance and conceptually
innovative catalytic nanomaterials is crucial for industry
and for Europe’s competitiveness and sustainability.
EU research in this field has been fragmented, due to the
lack of a strong thematic identity and communication
gaps between separate scientific communities dealing
with heterogeneous, homogeneous and bio-catalysts.
The IDECAT network was therefore created to bring
about a lasting integration between the main European
institutions operating in all aspects of catalysis. This will
create a critical mass and assemble the multidisciplinary
competences necessary to design the next generation of
catalysts and sustainable catalytic processes/technologies.
In doing so, it can be expected to increase the cost-effec-
tiveness of European research.
A prime objective is to bridge the gap between theory
and modelling, surface science and kinetic\applied cataly-
sis, as well as between heterogeneous, homogeneous and
biocatalytic approaches. Actions include the development
of frontier research initiatives on the synthesis and master-
ing of nano-objects as the materials of the future for
catalysis; integrating the design of catalytic nanomaterials
to achieve breakthrough innovation; and incorporating
concepts derived from other nanotechnologies.
A European Research Institute of Catalysis (ERIC) will be cre-
ated, to offer companies and public sponsors the opportu-
nity to realise top-level projects drawing on the extensive
experience and competences afforded by the network.
It will provide access to a pool of equipment, some unique,
and expertise in associated laboratories operated as multi-
site user facility for selected joint activities.
Bridging the gap between fundament
and application of catalysis is a major
objective of IDECAT for the development
of next generation catalytic materials.
NMP3-CT-2005-011730 – IDECAT
Integrated design of catalytic nanomaterials for a sustainable production
Total cost: €10 800 000 | EC contribution: €9 500 000
Project duration: April 2005 – March 2010 (60 months)
Coordinator: Gabriele Centi – Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Scienza e Tecnologia
dei Materali (INSTM), Firenze, Italy
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
Two years on from the launch of the NoE, the legal basis
for the establishment of ERIC as an independent jurid-
ical structure in the form of AISBL under Belgian law was
established by all the relevant parties.
Effective collaboration with industrial companies has
started with the creation of an Industrial Council and an
International Liaison Office.
The strengthening of collaborative projects – notably in the
areas of supported catalysis, dendrimers, polymerisation,
enzymes and ionic liquids – has been achieved through the
launch of various joint PhD programmes.
A number of measures have been taken to increase
researcher mobility and facilitate equipment sharing.
Schemes favouring the exchange of PhD students, post-
docs and young researches are being pursued. Upgrading
of existing equipment by the purchase of new parts and
software is also underway.
Dedicated workshops have been organised to define
roadmaps in specific areas relevant to sustainability. Three
macro-tasks have been defined: ‘Nanoporous materials
as tailored reaction space’, ‘Nanofibrous materials as cat-
alysts and supports’ and ‘Chemically nanostructured and
functionalised materials’. The IDECAT research roadmap
has been published.
Several joint research activities have been launched
or continued on the themes of nanostructured electro-
catalysts and photocatalysts, catalysts for the production
of fine chemicals and polymeric materials, and catalysts
for biofuels and biomass gasification.
A wide range of activities has been organised to pro-
mote catalysis and disseminate information to the
catalysis community. Still more are supporting the transfer
of knowledge to industry.
A dozen academia-industry proposals for FP7 are being
prepared; a patent databank is being set up; and a book-
let ‘Inventory of IDECAT research’ has been published
and distributed to the members of the Industrial Board.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH

21

Better, safer lithium batteries for everyday applications (2007-2009)

Solid-state Li-ion batteries set to deliver more power, last longer in phones, computers and cars.

Lithium ion batteries are excellent power sources for both
small- and large-scale applications, from mobile phones and
laptop computers to electric vehicles. However, they suffer
from some drawbacks, such as age-related capacity loss and
a tendency to overheat under continuous charge.
The ILLIBATT project is seeking to develop safer, better per-
forming and environmentally benign technology that makes
use of solid-state electrolytes containing non-volatile and
thermally stable ionic liquids, together with nano-structured
anodes and advanced cathodes. Resulting new materials are
expected to be useful across an extended range of cell sizes,
from micro-batteries to very large delocalised storage units
(10-20kWh) and vehicle battery packs rated at up 50kWh.
The proposal for the three-year initiative identifies four
key objectives:
• development of a green and safe solid-state electrolyte
chemistry based on ionic liquids;
• use of novel nano-structured high capacity anodes pre-
pared with the help of novel ionic liquids;
• investigation of the properties of the electrolytes and of
their specific interactions with advanced commercial and
self-prepared anode and cathode materials;
• construction of rechargeable lithium cells with optimised
electrode and electrolyte components.
This research could position Europe at the forefront of a de-
veloping field of high performances batteries. This is a very
important priority for European research considering the
approaching paradigm change in the automotive industry
towards hybrid cars powered by batteries and traditional
fuel engines. The combination of innovations should
make it possible to realise true solid-state lithium batteries
operating at room temperature, delivering specific en-
ergy higher than 180 Wh/kg with respect to the overall
weight of the cells. The coulombic efficiency is expected
to average higher than 99 % during cycling; and life-
times to reach 1 000 cycles with a 20 % maximum loss
of capacity.
❉ Project successes
By the end of the first project year, polymer electrolytes
and an anhydrous high-purity ionic liquid exhibiting
conductivity higher than 1 mS cm-1 had been prepared. The
synthesis and characterisation of polymeric ionic liquids
were also completed, together with a small-scale prepara-
tion of conducting composites containing suitable binder
polymers and ionic liquids.
Electrochemical testing procedures and standardised
conditions were defined, and samples of all the cathode
materials have been tested.
In the remaining project period, work will continue with
the design and fabrication of solvent-free, all-solid-state
concept batteries, as well as evaluation of their electro-
chemical and safety performance.

The ILLIBAT polymer battery

concept: a vacuum-sealed,
laminated, solid-state cell and
its voltage profile at 40 °C and
different discharge rates.

Sub-ambient temperature ionic liquid (Tm = -18 °C).

NMP3-CT-2006-033181 – ILLIBAT
Ionic liquid based lithium batteries
Total cost: €2 667 513 | EC contribution: €1 848 396
Project duration: January 2007 – December 2009 (36 months)
Coordinator: Martin Winter – Westälische Wilhelms Universität Münster, Institute of Physical Chemistry,
Münster, Germany (former Technische Universitaet Graz, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Inorganic
Materials (ICTAS), Graz, Austria)

22
Virtual laboratory unites European nanopore
researchers (2004-2008)
‘Lab without walls’ introduces Supertools in drive to replace polluting separation techniques.
Nano-porous materials can often serve in successful
replacements for traditional polluting and energy- con-
suming separation techniques employed for chemical
processing. Nanomaterials are widely used as catalysts,
catalyst supports and membranes, forming the basis of
innovative technologies involved in energy storage, high-
temperature molecular sieve separation (e.g. hydrogen
purification) and low-temperature sorption separation
(e.g. CO2 removal).
As in other technology areas, a fragmentation of resources
and expertise is impeding European progress in this field.
In response, the INSIDE-PORES NoE is creating a ‘laboratory
without walls’, by developing innovative in situ and ex situ
techniques that can be assembled into special case studies
for investigation within a common infrastructure.
A further objective is to advance the nano-manipulation
of porous materials from the current state of the art, i.e.
method tailoring, to the bottom-up design, preparation
and optimisation of material structures and their clean
technology applications.
❉ Project successes
In its first three years of existence, the NoE assessed and
clustered the disparate research into a more efficient and
inspirational common research programme.
Nanoporous catalytic membranes.
NMP3-CT-2004-500895 – INSIDE-PORES
In situ study and development of processes involving nano-porous solids
Total cost: €6 800 000 | EC contribution: €6 800 000
Project duration: October 2004 – September 2008 (48 months)
Coordinator: Nick Kanellopoulos – National Centre for Scientific research ‘Demokritos’, Attiki, Greece
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
The participating academic partners have been integrated
into an independent legal entity, established in the legal
form of a Belgian International non-profit association
(AISBL), and named the European Nanomaterials Institute
of Excellence (ENMIX). This will implement an innovative
strategy in order to address sustainability issues by adopt-
ing beneficial technology transfer arrangements for both
the academic and industrial collaborators.
Integration of human and material resources into the vir-
tual laboratory has been realised by the creation of the
‘Supertool’ infrastructure for testing materials and
optimising processes in a sophisticated and interactive
collaborative environment. This is used to streamline
the management process, monitor network progress and
perform educational tasks. An INSIDE-PORES website
(www.pores.gr) coordinates the activities of the partner
laboratories.
A Supertool study regarding chemical vapour deposition
(CVD) modification of membranes is already complete.
Several well-defined reference nanomaterials – carbon
molecular sieves, spherical activated carbon, inorganic
membranes, microporous silica (silicalite), etc. – were
selected for testing using all of the proposed techniques.
A prototype flow-controller system developed by
the coordinating institute will assist in the performance
of these experiments.
Many conferences, schools and workshops have been
organised, including the first INSIDE-PORES workshop, the
Seventh International Symposium on the Characterisation
of Porous Solids, the ‘Diffusion Fundamentals I’ conference
and the INSIDE-PORES South Africa workshop.
Promotional materials have also been compiled and
distributed at numerous conferences and exhibitions. A spe-
cial issue of the ‘Microporous and Mesoporous Materials’
journal (April 2008) included research presentations from
the first workshop.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Ligand bank cuts process development times (2004-2006)
Central info-bank is a living, growing resource for Europe’s catalyst community.
New metal-catalysed processes form a rapidly expanding
sector of the global fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals
markets, with a 10-15 % annual growth rate and already
representing a value greater than €6 billion/year.
The key requirement in realising such processes is the
identification of reaction additives, called ligands, which
strongly promote the desired catalytic activity. Typically,
the route to a successful new process involves checking
the efficacy of large numbers of ligands – often more
than 100. Although the checking process is completed
in less than one day, synthesis of the ligands themselves
may require months of work. This is often the slowest
step in new process discovery – and, to date, European
endeavours in this area have tended to be fragmented.
The objective of the LIGBANK initiative was therefore to
create a central bank of ligand molecules, pre-screened
for their applicability to reactions of fundamental impor-
tance in the relevant sectors. This would be realised as
a readily accessible and highly interactive website allow-
ing dynamic searching by interested researchers and pro-
viding a forum for the exchange/sale of ligands, related
additives and other information on catalysis.
Comparison of air-stable DABAL and its pyrophoric parent trimethylaluminium.
NMP3-CT-2003-505267 – LIGBANK
The European Ligand Bank: an innovation facility
Total cost: €2 463 000 | EC contribution: €2 150 000
Project duration: January 2004 – December 2006 (36 months)
Coordinator: Simon Woodward – The University of Nottingham, School of Chemistry, University Park,
Nottingham, United Kingdom
 23
❉ Project successes
The European Ligand Bank was duly set up at www.
ligbank.com, and now boasts an ever-expanding number
of users. Membership is open to all of the European cata-
lytic chemistry community, including industrial enterprises.
By the end of the three-year project, some 600 structurally
diverse samples of ligand additives had been identified
and trialled in both existing and new chemical reactions.
A number of these were new discoveries displaying
exceptional properties. One example is the trimethyl-
aluminium analogue DABAL – which is an air-stable white
powder, whereas its parent spontaneously combusts in
air. DABAL has been commercialised for use in the prep-
aration of secondary chiral alcohols, which are useful
pharmaceutical building blocks.
Patent-protected in situ quench methods contributed
by an SME member for the preparation of pyridyl amino-
alcohol ligands allow their rapid synthesis in flow and
carousel reactors.
Activities within the project led to the publication of three
patents, 46 scientific papers and 63 oral presentations at
world-wide industrial, academic and scientific meetings.
A follow-up COST Action on innovative catalysis now
encompasses over 20 EU countries.

24
Materials developments enhance nanocatalyst
performance (2005-2008)
Better understanding of particle-matrix interactions boosts catalytic efficiency.
Pharmaceuticals, healthy food ingredients, perfumes and
many other fine chemicals play important roles in the lives
of mankind. In many cases, improving the quality of such
products is inhibited by the low selectivity of hetero-
geneous catalysts based on nano-sized metallic particles,
which are used in various synthesis processes.
To overcome this obstacle, the NANOCAT project ex-
plored methods of enhancing catalytic performance by
adjusting the size and environment of the nanoparticles.
This began with the assembly of fundamental knowledge
about the synthesis of catalysts on inorganic and organic
support matrices, as a basis for the development of more
effective new particle/matrix combinations.
Another essential step was to determine the link between
the nanocatalysts’ properties and their performance in
industrially important reactions, such as hydrogenation/
oxidation and isomerisation, while also monitoring the
rates of catalyst deactivation and risks of metal leaching.
Establishing correlations between the nanoparticle size-
shape-environment and catalytic behaviour required the
development of reaction mechanisms by means of diffusion
and time-dependent kinetic modelling.
Reactants inside
a mesoporous material.
3D high resolution TEM
of metal particles.
NMP3-CT-2005-506621 – NANOCAT
Tailored nanosized metal catalysts for improving activity and selectivity via engineering
of their structure and local environment
Total cost: €2 515 800 | EC contribution: €2 054 699
Project duration: February 2005 – January 2008 (36 months)
Coordinator: Dmitry Murzin – Abo Akademi University Faculty of Chemical Engineering,
Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Turku Suomi, Finland
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
❉ Project successes
Ru, Pt, Au and Pd particles of 1-10 nm diameter were
incorporated into organic and inorganic matrices. In a bid to
further improve activity and selectivity, bi-metallic catalysts
were also synthesised.
Specific metal-polymer nanoscale systems have been designed
and prepared for in situ synthesis of nanoparticles at high
metal concentrations.
An efficient method was developed for the formation
of Pt metal nanoparticles with various structures and
morphologies in a matrix of hyper-crosslinked polystyrene.
A number of hydrogenolysis, dehydrogenation and oxida-
tion reactions were performed. A database of catalyst
screening results relating catalytic activity in variety of
reactions to kinetic results from comparison between met-
als of constant particle size supported on inorganic and
organic matrices has been prepared. A correlation of solvents
with catalyst performance was also completed.
In an effort to integrate and thereby optimise the exper-
imental performance, the partners performed quantum
chemical calculations for several supported catalytic
systems, aimed at investigating:
• the structural and energetic characteristics of the support;
• the relationships occurring between metal particle size,
shape and the 3D surrounding environment;
• the influence of the above relationships on the kinetic
properties of the studied materials, with respect to the
hydrogenation, isomerisation and dehydration processes.
Applications have been entered for two patents on
‘Evaluation of the performance profile of catalysts’.
Six prototypes were delivered: TEGMA stabilised Pd/C,
DEAEMA stabilised Pd/C, PVP stabilised Pd/C, PVP stabilised
Pt/C, PVP stabilised Pd/CNF, Pt/mesoporous alumosilicate.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
High-performance nanocomposites mimic nature (2005-2008)
Skeleton-like superstructures and nanohybrids show new way to derive engineering
plastics from low-cost feedstocks.
Whereas most current nanocomposites rely mainly on
physical bonding between a nanofiller and matrix, the
NANOHYBRID project sought to learn from nature to pro-
duce skeleton-like superstructures and hybrids built
using a combination of chemical and physical bonding.
The aim was to derive new melt-processable nanophase-
separated hybrid materials from low cost petrochemical
olefin feedstocks. With controlled architectures and prop-
erties designed to permit easy processing, the novel
materials are likely to be suitable for a variety of industrial
applications, from packaging and low weight engineering
materials to communications technology.
The adopted approach was intended to overcome a limita-
tion of earlier polyolefin-based composites, which pose dif-
ficulties in dispersing tectons (nanometer-scaled building
blocks such as organophilic inorganic polyelectrolyte nano-
particles, that induce self-assembly, functional silicates,
organoclays, and carbon nanotubes) in the matrix. Solving
this problem would open the door to a real breakthrough
in material performance.
Progress depended upon the acquisition of new know-
ledge related to macromolecular architecture design via
Nanohybrid dielectric thin film (shutter).
Nanohybrid dielectric thin film (bond).
NMP3-CT-2005-516972 – NANOHYBRID
Designed nanostructured hybrid polymers: polymerisation catalysis and tecton assembly
Total cost: €2 761 394 | EC contribution: €2 070 000
Project duration: March 2005 – February 2008 (36 months)
Coordinator: Incoronata Tritto – Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole-Consiglio Nazionale
delle Ricerche (Ismac-CNR) Milano, Italy
 25
transition metal catalysis, and understanding the phenom-
ena of nanocomposite formation by in situ polymerisation
or during melt processing. Extensive evaluation and test-
ing was also necessary to adapt the new materials to real
industrial requirements.
❉ Project successes
A range of novel nanoparticles were produced – including
doped and non-doped alumina, silica-alumina, hydrotalcites
and specially developed carbon nanotubes.
New catalysts such as those based on rare-earth metal
complexes and novel synthesis led to the creation of poly-
mer architectures, random and block copolymers and
other compositions for improved matrix/filler adhesion
and nanofiller dispersion.
Catalysts supported on tectons for in situ polymerisation
produced nanoparticles coated with polymer, used as inter-
mediates to obtain nanohybrids with high inorganic
content. Complex melt-processable polyolefin hybrids
were also designed.
Nanocomposites containing very small amounts of nano-
metre-scaled anisotropic tectons successfully combined
chemical and physical bonding between nanofiller and
matrix.
Investigation of the fundamental characteristics of the
organic-inorganic interphase region and their relation-
ship with nanocomposite properties by multi-scale analysis
during in situ polymerisation and melt processing represents
a frontier achievement in this field of research.
Tests showed extensive improvements in mechanical,
thermal and electrical properties.
Application studies identified materials worthy of further
development for automotive parts, ICT devices, high-
performance elastomers and components for MEMS
(micro-electro-mechanical systems).

26
European Membrane House coordinates key domain (2004-2009)
Research collaboration strengthens EU competitiveness in membrane engineering.
Membrane science is regarded as one of the main stra-
tegic axes of innovative process research activities in all
developed countries (a set of ‘dominant technologies’).
With an annual market growth rate above 10 %, membranes
now play a leading role in many industries – including
water treatment, energy, electronics, healthcare and agro-
business. They are used in processes and systems involving
separations, reactions, sensing and actuation.
The importance of membrane technology is emphasised
by the fact that one of the major challenges of this cen-
tury is the provision of safe drinking water for a growing
population. The shortages in water resources (e.g. in Africa
and the Middle East, but also in regions of Europe) will
soon require the availability of more efficient and cheaper
processes, fed not only from surface waters or aquifers
but also from sea, brackish or waste waters. The most
promising solutions to this problem could come from new
membranes tailored at the nano-scale level.
Fine-tuning membrane properties requires a multidisci-
plinary approach combining solid-state chemistry, supra-
molecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, organic synthesis,
physico-chemistry of interfaces and solutions, modelling
and chemical engineering. A particular demand is to syn-
thesise nanostructured artificial membranes mimicking
Polymer capillary membrane
for chromatography.
PVDF support with top polymeric dense layer.
NMP3-CT-2004-500623 – NANOMEMPRO
Expanding membrane macroscale applications by exploring nanoscale material properties
Total cost: €13 160 000 | EC contribution: €6 380 000
Project duration: September 2004 – February 2009 (54 months)
Coordinator: Gilbert M. Rios – Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
N OV E L M AT E R I A L S A N D S U S TA I N A B L E C H E M I S T RY
the functions of naturally occurring cellular membranes
that control many functions of life.
To coordinate EU effort in this domain, the NANOMEMPRO
network is creating a European Membrane House to
share research facilities, develop common procedures and
protocols, foster professional mobility, and provide new
opportunities for training and education in membrane
engineering. It will forge strong links between industrial
stakeholders via a ‘Club of Interest’ concentrating on four
application areas: new production processes and system
approaches, food quality and safer production methods,
sustainable energy systems, and life support and health.
❉ Project successes
The statutes of the European Membrane House, in the form
of a non-profit association under Belgian law, have already
been adopted by the partners. As well as providing a plat-
form to support industry-driven research projects, this
will form a channel of communication between the EC and
the European Membrane Research Area and a natural inter-
face to prepare further collaborations with other similar
organisations in the other world regions.
A roadmap has been drawn up and presented to the
membrane community to initiate new collaboration in
defining a strategic business and research agenda for
membrane technologies in Europe.
The mobility plan covers masters, PhDs, postdocs and
research staff, including those from industrial research
and development centres. Available courses and poten-
tial partners for common degrees (master/doctoral) have
been identified, and additional collaborative programmes
are being organised.
A DECADE OF EU-FUNDED RESEARCH
Polysaccharides to replace oils as source of tomorrow’s polymers?
(2005-2009)
Research community unites to explore the potential of an abundant natural resource.
The use of renewable raw materials is one of the corner-
stones of European policy, which has objectives to promote
biodegradation and to double the share of renewable
energy from 6 % in 1997 to 12 % in 2010.
In this context, polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose
are extremely interesting. They are very abundant in nature,
representing an almost inexhaustible source of natural raw
materials. They are the sustainable polymeric materials of
tomorrow. When synthetic polymers derived from oil
become expensive and rare, renewables could replace
oil-based materials with biodegradable and biocompatible
products in sectors such as paper, textiles, packaging,
healthcare, hygiene, construction and transport.
The mission of the POLYSACCHARIDE initiative is to or-
ganise the EU scientific community around a network
fostering the use of polysaccharide renewable industrial
feedstocks for the development of advanced multifunc-
tional materials. Its consortium includes leading research
centres and top-ranked universities with expertise and
state-of-the-art technologies in key polysaccharide-related
disciplines, including chemistry, chemical engineering,
enzymology, modelling, physics, processing, material
science, life-cycle analysis and economics.
Novel Polysaccharide based nanoparticles for drug targeting.
NMP3-CT-2005-500375 – POLYSACCARIDE
The European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence
Total cost: €9 900 000 | EC contribution: €5 000 000
Project duration: May 2005 – October 2009 (54 months)
Coordinator: Patrick Navard – Centre for Material Forming (CEMEF), Paris, France
 27
Building a single umbrella organisation, the European
Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE), will allow
full integration of all these resources into a Europe-wide
‘super-laboratory’, conducting shared activities and inter-
acting directly inside the partner organisations. Included in
its remit will be the training of scientists in academia and
industry; spreading of knowledge, results and best practices;
and attracting the interest of citizens to science.
❉ Project successes
The network of 16 partners is conducting a very active col-
laborative research which benefits both laboratories and
students. The placement of 14 PhDs in several research
projects adds further to the spreading of knowledge.
The constitution and registration of the EPNOE Asso-
ciation is complete, and efforts are proceeding to attract
industrial participants. A first meeting in Paris drew 56 com-
panies, and a Business Industrial Club with six activity
areas already counts more than 20 members.
An education roadmap and new research roadmap for
2010-2015 have been completed.
Formal links with related organisations, including the Euro-
pean Bioplastics association, American Chemical Society and
Polymer Processing Society, are broadening the exchange
of information.
The first successful EC projects have been announced:
a Marie Curie Initial Training Network (STEP) and a large-
scale project (Surfuncell).
Two leading EPNOE scientists received prestigious
awards. The ‘Personal Contribution to Bio-plastics’ prize
went to Martin Patel, University of Utrecht, and Bjarne
Holmbom, Aabo Academy, collected the Wallenberg prize
for sustainability of renewable resources in forestry and
technology of the forest products industry.
European Commission

EUR 23585 – Success stories in the materials field – A decade of EU-funded research

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2008 – 27 pp. – 21 x 29.7 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-09721-8
DOI 10.2777/99099

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their thanks for the contributions

of the coordinators and the programe officers of the projects.
Furthermore, the collaboration of Mike Parry, Michael Horgan,
Charlotte Andersdotter and Bingen Urquijo Garay is acknowledged.
 success stories
KI-NA-23585-EN-C