OrganoClick's R&D Director Maria Wennman is defending and presenting her doctoral thesis on biobased binders based on shrimp shells and cellulose that replace plastic binders in nonwoven textiles
More than 12 million tons of plastic are released into the oceans every year. Some of the most common plastic waste is made from nonwoven textiles found in, for example, wet wipes and baby diapers. Based on more than 15 years of research and development, OrganoClick has developed biobased and biodegradable binders based on e.g. shrimp shells and cellulose that can replace plastic binders in these materials. The research behind the technologies is now presented in a doctoral thesis by OrganoClick's R&D manager Maria Wennman via a collaboration with KTH - The Royal Institute of Technology with the title "Biobased and biodegradable binders for paper and nonwoven". The biobased binders have also been implemented in several industrial applications and replaced more than 2,000 tons of plastic in 2023!
Nonwoven textiles often consist of a mixture of cellulose fibers and fossil non-degradable plastic binders. These materials cannot be broken down in nature, nor can they be composted or recycled. To solve this problem, OrganoClick, through many years of research and development, has developed biobased and compostable binders that can replace plastic binders in a number of different applications such as napkins, diapers, feminine hygiene products, agricultural textiles and wet wipes.
OrganoClick's patented binders are based on natural biopolymers from side streams in the food industry, such as shrimp peels, orange peels and oat husks, which are mostly incinerated or landfilled. Thereby, 100% biobased and compostable nonwoven textiles can be manufactured, which have now been implemented in large-scale industrial production of products such as napkins, agricultural textiles and hygiene products.
"One of the most satisfying things about my work in the lab is that it has resulted in major environmental gains when we are now phasing out fossil plastics on a 1,000-ton scale. For me, it feels very important to contribute to a cleaner and greener future. That my research and my ideas have led to a doctoral thesis is a huge bonus and I am incredibly happy and grateful for the chance to do my dissertation in this important field.” says Maria Wennman, Director of Research and Development at OrganoClick
"After more than 15 years of research and development, I am incredibly proud that we have succeeded in developing biobased and biodegradable binders that now replace plastic binders in nonwovens. I am also very proud of Maria's hard work, which she now gets to crown with a doctoral thesis", says Mårten Hellberg, CEO OrganoClick
Kontakt:
Maria Wennman, FoU-chef OrganoClick maria.wennman@organoclick.com, +46 (0)76 883 86 75
Mårten Hellberg, VD OrganoClick, marten.hellberg@organoclick.com, +46 (0)7 07 16 48 90
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
About OrganoClick
OrganoClick AB (publ) is a public Swedish cleantech company listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market. The company develops, produces and markets functional materials based on environmentally friendly fiber chemistry. Examples of products that are marketed by OrganoClick are the durable water repellent technology for textiles OrganoTex®, the biocomposite material OrganoComp®, surface treatment and maintenance products for villa and property owners under the brand BIOkleen®, biobased binder under the trade name OC-BioBinder™ and the flame and rot-resistant timber OrganoWood® (through the joint-venture OrganoWood AB). OrganoClick was founded in 2006 as a commercial spin-off company based on research performed at Stockholm University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences within environmentally friendly fiber chemistry. OrganoClick has won a number of prizes, such as "Sweden's Most Promising Start -up" and "Sweden's Best Environmental Innovation", and has also received a number of awards, such as the WWF "Climate Solver" award, listed as a SUSTAINIA100 company and has also appeared for two years on the Affärsvärldens and NyTekniks list of Sweden's top 33 hottest technology companies. OrganoClick has its head office, production and R&D located in Täby, north of Stockholm. OrganoClick's Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North Growth Market is Mangold Fondkommission AB, tel: +46 (0)8 503 01 551, email: ca@mangold.se.
Tags:
