Our fourth consortium meeting, coordinated by ICP Pulp and Paper Institute, continues the SuperBark research and innovation initiative funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) under Horizon Europe.
Assessment of Progress and Possibilities for Results Exploitation
The fourth SuperBark consortium meeting, organized by ICP Pulp and Paper Institute, was a productive checkpoint for assessing the project’s progress, sharing data and overcoming possible challenges. The face-to-face meeting allowed close examination of the activities of the past six months and an overview on next steps for each work package. Further, the event provided an opportunity for the consortium to define the exploitation pathways for the anticipated SuperBark results for during and after the project.
Paper coatings research and testing
During the visit, the consortium was introduced to the ICP R&D facilities. ICP specializes in developing innovative biomaterials and their final products, including testing new advanced barrier coatings for paper. In SuperBark, ICP leads the development of bio-based coating formulations for paper-based packaging materials, focusing on incorporating bark-based cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to enhance barrier properties.
SuperBark consortium touring the ICP testing and piloting facilities.
As part of WP4, ICP formulates coatings using unmodified and modified bark-based CNF combined with bio-based polymers. The coatings undergo laboratory-scale testing to refine their performance before being evaluated in roll-to-roll coating processes. ICP further assesses the coated materials’ biodegradability, converting properties, and barrier properties under conditions relevant for food packaging, ensuring compliance with food contact regulations.
Coatings validation on industrial specialty paper
The coating formulations developed by ICP are tested and optimized for application on papers produced by the Goričane papermill, an established European manufacturer specializing in small-scale production of lightweight wood-free papers. During the SuperBark project, Goričane provides the paper substrates for barrier coatings while validating the performance of packaging paper prototypes under industrial conditions. The SuperBark consortium also had the opportunity to witness this process onsite in Slovenia.
Goričane aims to leverage bio-based coatings containing bark-based CNF to introduce PFAS-free barrier paper for food packaging. In the long term, other forest products companies are expected to replicate the industrial implementation of bark fractionation, increasing the availability of bark-based polyphenols and cellulose-rich bark residues on the market. This will further expand the application of bark components in adhesives, coatings, and other bio-based products across various industrial sectors.
A big thank you to the ICP and Goričane teams for hosting our fourth consortium meeting and for your important work on biobased coatings for paper applications in SuperBark!
For more information on ICP and Goričane, please contact Urška Kavčič at urska.kavcic@icp-lj.si and Urban Svoljšak at urban.svoljsak@goricane.si.