Spanish plastics technology company AIMPLAS has confirmed that its reactive extrusion pilot line is operational and ready to produce bio-based nanomaterials tailored for agricultural and food packaging applications. This capability forms part of the EU-funded BIOMAC project, which has built an Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) to help nano-enabled bio-based materials move from laboratory concepts to market-ready solutions.
After two years of development, BIOMAC’s OITB ecosystem is now available to European SMEs and other stakeholders working in bio-nanomaterials. The ecosystem spans the full value chain through four interconnected hubs: pilot plant, validation, value chain assessment, and market uptake. The pilot plant hub comprises 17 pilot lines dedicated to scaling up bio-based technologies. AIMPLAS operates the 11th line, a reactive extrusion system capable of polymerising polylactic acid (PLA) and its copolymers, as well as producing PLA-based nanocomposites.
The validation hub offers services such as quality control and characterisation, standardisation assessment, and process validation and modelling. These functions are essential for ensuring that scaled-up materials meet both technical and regulatory requirements. The value chain assessment hub focuses on sustainability metrics, supply chain efficiency, and adherence to circular economy principles—critical factors for bio-based materials seeking competitive positioning. Meanwhile, the market uptake hub addresses business strategy, legal compliance, and data management, including health and safety and regulatory analysis.
Within BIOMAC, AIMPLAS’s pilot line is already engaged in two distinct test cases. For agriculture, it is producing PLA-based masterbatches incorporating nanoparticles for mulching films, alongside PLA copolymers designed for injection moulding. In food packaging, the line is being used to develop PLA nanocomposite formulations suitable for blown film processes, a common method for manufacturing flexible packaging.
BIOMAC has validated its pilot lines through five internal test cases across diverse sectors: automotive, agriculture, food packaging, construction, and printed electronics. Building on this foundation, the project has launched an open call for expressions of interest, announced on 15 December 2022. The call targets SMEs, start-ups, research and technology organisations, and midcaps aiming to develop bio-nanomaterial projects within BIOMAC’s OITB ecosystem at no cost.
The initiative seeks five new test cases in areas such as textiles, medical-biomedical applications, tissue engineering, and single-use items. Proposals undergo preliminary evaluation, with submissions accepted until 30 April 2023 for early consideration, and a final deadline of 15 June 2023. Selected projects will run from September 2023 through December 2024, leveraging BIOMAC’s infrastructure and expertise.
The BIOMAC project—formally titled the European Sustainable BIObased nanoMAterials Community—integrates technological scale-up with market readiness support. By combining pilot-scale manufacturing with validation, sustainability assessment, and regulatory guidance, it offers a comprehensive pathway for innovative bio-based materials to enter commercial production. For companies working at the intersection of nanotechnology and sustainable polymers, the OITB framework provides access to equipment, technical know-how, and market integration strategies that would otherwise require significant investment.
PLA, the focus of AIMPLAS’s pilot line, is a biodegradable polymer derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane. When enhanced with nanomaterials, PLA can achieve improved mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties, expanding its utility beyond conventional applications. In agriculture, nanoparticle-infused PLA mulching films can offer better durability and controlled degradation rates, aligning with environmental goals. In packaging, PLA nanocomposites can enhance shelf life and reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics.
By opening its infrastructure to external partners, BIOMAC is positioning itself as a catalyst for the wider adoption of bio-based nanomaterials across multiple industries. The combination of technical scale-up capabilities, rigorous validation, sustainability integration, and market readiness services reflects a holistic approach to innovation deployment in advanced materials.