The European Union Recently Funded a 5-year Research Project to Develop Sustainable Adhesives and Coatings from Pine and Spruce Bark
Coordinated by VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, the SuperBark project consists of 12 partners from eight countries. The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking funds projects advancing circular bio-based industries under its research and innovation program.
The SuperBark projects aims to eliminate consumer exposure to formaldehyde-based resins and per- and polyfluorinated substances used in coatings.
The research team aims to develop, test, and validate adhesives and coatings with greater than or equal to 95% bio-based content. The intended product would replace fossil-based solutions used in consumer products in the furniture, construction, transport, and packaging sectors.
SuperBark plans to utilize polyphenols extracted from tree bark using a new alkaline fractionation technology, as well as cellulose nanofibrils converted from cellulose-rich bark residues.