What is the difference between soil calcium carbonate and calcium carbonate recovered from paper waste? From a circularity point of view, the latter is a lot more attractive, but calcium carbonate from paper waste is less effective as a filler or binder in paints and coatings, for example. Alucha Works is already extracting calcium carbonate from paper waste and in this project is investigating exactly what the chemical and physical differences are. This is expected to bring a solution into sight that will allow circularly sourced calcium carbonate to gain a broader field of application.

The Vital Oxidizer improves the water quality without using hydrogen peroxide and chlorine. The device is already widely used in the agricultural sector to improve the quality of irrigation water, for example. To use the device for other applications, such as horticulture and consumer applications, more knowledge is needed about the working mechanism. Avans University of Applied Sciences and Stenden University of Applied Sciences are jointly investigating in this project what effect the Vital Oxidizer has on the chemical and biological parameters of bulk water.

More than 20% of the phosphate consumed in the Netherlands ends up in sludge ash via the sludge from sewage treatment plants. Recovery of the phosphate from this sludge ash is an important step in making phosphate use circular. Susphos has developed a process with which phosphate can be recovered from the sludge ash using a solvent. In order to also use the solvent in a circular manner, the company is working in this project on a model that can be used to estimate how the solvent will remain usable in the extraction installation for as long as possible.

All cars, windmills and wooden frames have one thing in common. They must be coated to protect the material. In the Netherlands alone, more than 1 billion euros in turnover is realized with coatings. The coatings are often made from fossil raw materials, but there is increasing demand for biobased coatings from the market. One important ingredient is missing: the aromatic, responsible for making it shiny, scratch-resistant and UV-resistant. Relement was the first to develop a bio-aromatic (bio-MPA). A show model of a coating based on bio-MPA is missing and that is exactly what will be investigated in this project together with Fontys Hogescholen. This allows the properties to be tested and compared with the currently common variants.

To prevent corrosion, metals for outdoor use are provided with a layer of paint or a coating. However, that protective layer has quite a few sustainability issues: it is often made on the basis of petroleum, contains harmful substances such as preservatives, chromate salts or Chromium-6 and microplastics are released during weathering. The fungus Aureobasidium pullulans is already successfully used in combination with linseed oil to protect wood. The fungus produces the substance pullulan which also means it is able to greatly reduce corrosion on metal. However, pullulane itself is water soluble. In this project, a fermentation process is being developed in which the fungus will also produce waterproof substances for the protection of metal. This makes a sustainable protection system for metal available.

Textiles that consist of a mix of cotton and polyester are difficult to recycle and often end up in the incinerator after use. In a previous GoChem project, a method was developed in which both components can be separated. The cellulose precipitates out of the cotton and the monomers that make up the polyester remain behind in a solution. This new project investigates how the two fractions can be separated and how the monomer fraction can be purified in such a way that they can serve as raw material for new polyesters. The results of the project should clarify whether recycling of mixed textiles is technically and economically feasible.

Proteins are widely used in, for example, biotechnological applications and pharmaceuticals. The disadvantage is that many proteins are not stable and therefore decay quickly and lose their specific function. In many cases, therefore, cysteine ​​is built into the protein: the molecular structure becomes stronger and the end product becomes more stable as a result. In a number of cases, the use of cysteine ​​is not desirable because it changes the function of the molecule. In this project an alternative is developed by using methionine instead of cysteine. The project not only looks at what the production process should look like, the new molecules are also tested for functionality and stability.

Onions contain various functional proteins, essential oils and fats that are commercially interesting enough to be extracted from the residual flows. The essential oils and fats are currently extracted using steam distillation. However, this separation method is disastrous for the functional proteins. The high temperature and pressure denature the proteins, causing them to lose value. Biorefinery Solutions is developing a mild extraction process in this project in which essential oils and fats as well as functional proteins can be extracted. The process consists of two separation steps. The first step is a cold pressing in which the proteins are separated from the essential oils and fats. In a second step, the essential oils and fats are extracted using an edible oil. In this project, a preliminary design of the process is made to determine how it can connect to the existing protein extraction process. The project provides insight into whether the combined extraction is technically and economically feasible.

Various requirements are set for LED lighting. For example, indoor lighting must contain enough red to create a warm atmosphere, while screens must produce beautiful pure colours. Utrecht University and the Seaborough company are working together in this project on new ways to efficiently generate light using nanocrystals. Nanocrystals have the advantage that the emitted light spectrum can be precisely controlled and that their fabrication uses fewer scarce materials than existing technologies. However, in order for them to emit light, energy must be supplied. The researchers will test a strategy to allow energy to travel through a thin film of nanocrystals as quickly and efficiently as possible. If this is successful, artificial light sources can be made more efficient and beautiful, while fewer materials need to be used.

How do you reduce the use of plastic packaging while optimally protecting the quality of your fruit? An edible coating based on seaweed was developed in a previous GoChem project. This project is a follow up to this. The effect of applying the coating to various apple varieties is being investigated with regard to the ripening process, shelf life and quality criteria, such as water content, ethylene production, nutritional value and the development of fungi and bacteria.

Measuring the size of micro- and nanoparticles is essential for properly estimating the properties of a material. At the same time, these measurements are costly, complicated and not accurate enough. In this project, a compact, portable measuring device is being developed that can measure particles with a size between 20 nm and 20 um quickly and easily. The device is tested by field testing samples of different materials.

Simply holding a hand can calm patients who are worried, anxious or feeling lonely. However, in a number of situations it is not possible to have real human contact. The ComfyHand is being developed to support patients even then: a hand that is perceived as human in all aspects, but is not. This GoChem project investigates whether it is possible to make a hand whose material feels like a real hand in terms of warmth and softness, for example. The project must result in a prototype that will be tested in a care center.

Plants, including horticultural crops, use a limited part of the sun’s light spectrum for their growth. In addition, different wavelengths have different effects on development. For example, one wavelength ensures longer stems and another for flowering. With LED lighting, the development of the crops can be controlled very precisely. In this GoChem project, a recent breakthrough in nanotechnology is used to direct the entire spectrum of sunlight to the specific wavelengths that stimulate crop development. This allows the horticultural sector to grow crops optimally with lower energy costs and investments.

Very strict requirements are set for materials that must protect people or equipment under extreme conditions. In order to be able to quickly check whether an existing structure still meets these requirements, this project is developing a method to check the strength using fluorescent imaging techniques, even after an impact.

Worldwide, more than one million people die each year from diseases transmitted by bites from mosquitoes, flies and ticks. In addition, these diseases have an enormous impact on quality of life and economic prosperity. The most commonly used mosquito repellent DEET must be used in very high concentrations to be effective, leading to skin irritation. In addition, DEET affects clothing and utensils. New, safe protective substances are needed. In this project, twenty mosquito repellent substances are used to investigate which part of the molecular structure is responsible for the mosquito repellent function. These insights help to identify a substance that has a very effective effect. If this is successful, a product that is ready for the market will be developed in a follow-up project.

In the study of the chemical basis of life, the three-dimensional structures of macromolecules such as proteins, DNA and RNA play a crucial role. Research gained momentum ten years ago with the introduction of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This enables structural biologists to distinguish thousands of individual macromolecules. The technique stands or falls with very pure and concentrated samples of a relevant macromolecule that lie in a thin layer (10-50nm). In this project, a technique is being developed with which the layer thickness can be set very precisely. This technique makes research on macromolecules easier and more affordable.

Synthetic peptides are small proteins that can perform a wide range of functions, especially in medicine. To make these peptides quickly and sustainably, a method is available that combines chemical synthesis with enzymes (biological catalysts). But a specific class of compounds required for this method of peptide synthesis, the so-called oxo esters, is still difficult to produce in a high yield. This KIEM GoChem project focuses on a new synthesis route to oxo-esters via a so-called Passerini reaction. The researchers believe that this method will be widely applicable and want to demonstrate this by modifying the drug insulin.

A quick and correct diagnosis of infections is of vital importance so that the patient receives the optimal treatment. With traditional analyses, this process can take days or weeks or sometimes no identification of the pathogens is possible at all. In this KIEM GoChem project, Avans University of Applied Sciences is working with SMEs and knowledge institutions on a new high-throughput method based on sequencing, in which the genetic material of these pathogens is analyzed. The method works even if multiple pathogens are present. This method is expected to speed up diagnostics so that patients can be treated faster and better.

By separating urine and manure from cows in a cow toilet, less ammonia is produced. That is good for reducing nitrogen emissions, but farmers must earn back the investment. One possibility is to extract valuable substances from cow urine and valorise them for fine chemicals and fertilizers. In this KIEM GoChem project, Hanze University Groningen will extract hippuric acid from urine. This is a raw material for green benzoic acid that is used as a preservative in compound feeds. Potassium and urea from the urine are also valuable as natural fertilizers. Later, the extraction of other substances such as allantoin and creatinine is on the agenda.

A mixture of many different types of plastic cannot be recycled properly. But the quality control on the collected plastic waste is not working properly now because it only analyzes small samples from tons of waste. In addition, current analysis techniques cannot cope well with black plastic or multiple layers. Veridis has a high-quality thermal analysis technique available with which larger samples can be accurately analyzed. In this KIEM GoChem project, Radboud University and Veridis will find out how large and accurate those samples need to be for high-quality plastic recycling.

Malaria still kills one to two million people every year, mainly in Africa. So there is still a need for better antimalarials. The Nijmegen company TropIQ has previously found a substance that prevents the malaria parasite from multiplying after infection, but which also blocks the transmission of the malaria parasite from mosquito to human. In this KIEM GoChem project, Radboud University is carrying out additional research into this group of substances, known as tetrahydroimidazopyridines (THIPs). For example, it is important to know what happens to it after absorption into the body. The researchers also want to know exactly how the substance works against the parasite.

Fresh manure releases a lot of methane and nitrogen. You can reduce this by adding formic acid to the manure. As a result, methane-producing bacteria don’t stand a chance. Formic acid can be made from water, CO2 and sustainable electricity from solar panels, for example. The acidified manure can then enter the digester, where methane is produced and collected in a controlled manner. In this KIEM GoChem project, Saxion investigates how much more methane the digester produces and how much less nitrogen is emitted by acidifying manure. The results should lead to a pilot on farm scale.