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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/W031019/1
Title: Bio-derived and Bio-inspired Advanced Materials for Sustainable Industries (VALUED)
Principal Investigator: Titirici, Professor M
Other Investigators:
Hallett, Professor JP Petit, Professor C Dupree, Professor P
Eichhorn, Professor S Jones, Professor JR Lee, Professor K
Mattevi, Dr C Heeney, Professor MJ Nelson, Professor J
Lapkin, Professor A Shah, Professor N Stephens, Dr I E L
Vignolini, Professor S
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
BASF SE Bio-Bean Ltd Biomimicry Institute
BP C4Ware Ltd. Consciously Aware
Deregallera Ltd Domino Printing Sciences Faradion Limited
Fiberight Freeland Horticulture Futamura Chemical UK Ltd
Harrison Farms Johnson Matthey L'Oreal
Lixea Limited Loughborough University National Composites Centre
PV3 Technologies Ltd RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN Shell
SUPERGEN bioenergy hub The Faraday Institution Toyota
University of British Columbia (UBC) University of Milan
Department: Chemical Engineering
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Programme Grants
Starts: 01 January 2023 Ends: 31 December 2027 Value (£): 6,139,080
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Catalysis & Applied Catalysis Design of Process systems
Electrochemical Science & Eng. Manufacturing Machine & Plant
Materials testing & eng. Structural Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Energy
Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
18 Jul 2022 ELEMENT Programme Grant Interview Panel 19 20 and 21 July 2022 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
The UK Government recently set targets for "net zero emissions" and "zero waste" as well as a 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Even so, the UK currently sources, processes and deploys advanced materials based on unsustainable practices, including the use of fossil fuels and scarce, geologically hindered raw materials. This contributes to over 30% of the UK CO2 emissions, especially considering the import of raw precursors and materials.



Our vision is to build our most important functional materials from bio-based resources which are locally available. These materials will lower CO2 emissions, helping the UK to reach the targeted zero emissions by 2050 while boosting high-performance, locally available technologies and creating new industries. They will form the cornerstone for a modern technology-dependent economy.

This programme grant brings together the best UK academics and key industrial partners involved in the development of a new supply chain for sustainable materials and applications. We will accelerate novel pathways to manufacture advanced materials out of available UK bioresources while boosting their performance working with stakeholders in key industrial sectors (chemical industry, advanced materials, energy, waste, agriculture, forestry, etc).

The combined food, forestry and agricultural waste in the UK amounts to approx.26.5m tonnes each year. There is no valuable economic chain in the UK to allow waste valorisation towards high value-added materials. Yet, by mass, functional materials provide the most viable route for waste utilisation, preferable over waste-to-energy. This Programme Grant will thus enhance the UK's capability in the critical area of affordable and sustainable advanced materials for a zero carbon UK economy, providing multidisciplinary training for the next generation of researchers, and support for a nascent next generation of an advanced materials industry

Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Summary
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk