Bio-inspired Coatings with Advanced Properties from Natural Resources

Completed-Recruitment / By

Closing Date: 3rd March 2023

Project start date: 1st October 2023

Funding Provider: UKRI EPSRC CDT Studentship

Subject Area: Functional Coatings

Key Information

Project Supervisors

Academic Supervisors: Primary: Dr Francisco Martin-Martinez. Secondary: Dr Ian Mabbett.

Industry Supervisors: Begoña Ruiz. Concha Bosch.

Aligned programme of study: EngD in Materials, Modelling and Manufacturing

Mode of study: Full-time

Expected Interview Date: Late April 2023

Background:

Company:

AINIA Technology Center, is a non-profit private association, whose aim is to promote research and technological development in the agri-food sector, increase the quality of production, improve competitiveness, and promote the modernization and diversification of agri-food industries, through the capacity of services to its associates, and by carrying out public or contract R&D projects.

The centre facilities occupy three buildings with more than 12,000 m2 located in Valencia (Spain).

Currently, AINIA has a total of 10 pilot plants in operation: water, hygiene, bioproduction, biorefineries and biogas, spectroscopy, vision, new products, food engineering, supercritical fluids, and packaging.

AINIA also has several reference laboratories that complement and reinforce the pilot infrastructures to advance through innovation and R&D. These laboratories are: chemical analysis (instrumental analysis, general chemical analysis, sample preparation, reagent and packaging storage for shelf life studies); bioassays (molecular biology, microbiology, DNA detection, express warehouse, cryotheque, reagent warehouse, media preparation) and a Class III Biosafety laboratory.

AINIA’s active international presence during more than two decades allows them to identify markets and technologies; initiate relationships with governments, companies and international organizations that are necessary for the development of research collaboration lines, development, and innovation, and the generation of alliances and international projects with companies associated to our business lines.

Research:

In connection to the general objective of the project, AINIA has two main innovation lines:

  • Biorefineries. AINIA has a strong experience and background in the field of biorefineries, working in the valorization of a broad range of by-products from agri-food industries to get a wide variety of high added value bioproducts as well as biofuels and bioenergy. AINIA works with technologies such anaerobic digestion, 2-phase anaerobic digestion, new kind of bioreactors for the conversion of gas to chemicals and, finally, fractionation of lignocellulosic byproducts and residues. In the field of lignocellulosic biomass, AINIA works with thermochemical-mechanical procedures and high-pressure reactors to produce new biopolymers such as nanocellulose and lignin as well as sugars for fermentations.
  • Packaging. AINIA is highly experienced in the development of new packaging materials that meet the requirements established by national and European legislations concerning food contact materials and low-environmental impact plastic products (SUP Directive). The packaging department works in four main lines of activity: packaging design, packaging machinery, minimization of packaging waste and packaging-product interaction. According to the recently approved and upcoming legislation, moving towards more environmentally friendly materials is mandatory. In this direction, AINIA is collaborating with different companies in the food industry to develop new materials thar are compostable or easily recyclable. In this sense, the development of functional coatings to be applied on packaging materials (e.g., paper-based materials) is a trend with a lot of room for improvement.

Moreover, in AINIA there are two other innovation lines that could highly benefit from the results of the project. On the one hand, the development of paints or coatings with antimicrobial properties, are of high interest to the hygiene department, which works in continuous collaboration with the food industry on searching for novel solutions that ensure food safety. Besides, in AINIA there is a line related to microencapsulation of active substances that are delivered under specific conditions. For these kind of applications, new biodegradable materials that can be used as scaffold without leading to microplastics at the end of its life is required.

Project Aims:

The supporting objective of the project is the development of bio-based and bio-inspired functional coatings with advanced properties (e.g., adhesion, gas barrier, superhydrophobicity or oil repellency) for applications ranging from packaging or microencapsulation of active substances to self-cleaning surfaces. To this end, we will utilise widely available biomass materials, e.g., (nano)cellulose, (nano)lignin, (nano)chitin, in combination with other natural ingredients such as gums, proteins, peptides, inorganic (nano)particles, fatty acids, or waxes. Following Nature’s hierarchical designs, we will modify and combine these individual building blocks into supramolecular assemblies that achieve the desired properties for the target applications. The molecular and supramolecular designs will be assisted by multiscale computational modeling, ranging from density functional theory (DFT) calculations to full-atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The data generated with these computational methods can be used to train machine learning models that will accelerate materials discovery and property predictions.

Within the concept of circular economy, the new formulations will be based on natural ingredients, or compounds that could be obtained from the agrifood industry (area in which AINIA has extensive expertise), and we will aim at materials that can be intrinsically designed for degradation, i.e., circularity by design. To achieve adequate properties for the target applications, while complying with natural principles of circularity and performance, we will initially consider lignocellulosic derivatives (e.g., microfibers of cellulose, nanolignin) as the core components of the coatings. These lignocellulosic derivatives can be used as received or after undergoing additional functionalization, following computational designs, or rational intuition. Furthermore, other additives will be included into the formulation to impart additional properties (e.g., flexibility, resistance). Examples of these additives are gums, proteins, peptides, inorganic particles, fatty acids, or waxes.

According to this general objective, two parallel research lines are proposed:

  • Biobased coatings for packaging applications, microencapsulation of active substances and functional food-grade paints.

To develop coatings useful for packaging applications (substrate: paper), properties such as oxygen barrier, water and/or oil repellency, or sealing properties are required. Moreover, active packaging is also of interest, and antimicrobial substances must be incorporated into the final coating. This later coating could also be adapted to be applied over other surfaces (e.g., metal) as a functional paint. Thus, adequate modification of lignocellulosic materials and coating formulations will open new doors for its use in the microencapsulation of ingredients, actives, or fragrances, amongst others. To this end, the natural polymers should be modified to respond to an external stimulus (e.g., temperature, humidity, pH). This stimulus will then act as a trigger for the release of the microencapsulated substance.

  • Bio-adhesives for packaging application. Industry seeks for oxygen-barrier bio-adhesives that could be employed, for example, in lamination applications (e.g., paper-based materials). This line of research will deal with the chemical modification of lignocellulosic derivatives and its formulation to develop a bio-adhesive adequate for food packaging applications. Biological systems like mussel threads, rich in catechol functional groups, or metal coordinated biopolymers can provide inspiration to guide the design process. Furthermore, using computational modeling we can explore the effect of polymer length, polymer chains entanglement, or degree of crosslinking in the adhesive properties, evaluating how chemical features control the adhesive or cohesive failure of the material under working conditions.

Desired outcomes:

  • Sustainability impacts: The goal of the project clearly responds to the need of developing more environmentally friendly materials, which allows for a better recyclability or compostability of the packaging materials, or to new polymeric materials that prevents the release of microplastics to the environment.
  • Enhanced functionality: The main goal of the project is to develop functional coatings or bio-adhesives that could be used in different food grade applications. This means new materials with attributes such as gas barrier or antimicrobial properties, or that leads to scaffolds that responds to an external stimulus acting as trigger for delivering substances. Even though the project will be focused on food-industry or packaging applications, the new materials that will be developed could be extrapolated to other applications related with sectors such as pharma, cosmetics, or even steel coating.
  • Societal impact: Focusing on packaging applications, for example, a successful project may lead to increased customer satisfaction by improving the overall packaging experience and ensuring that products are delivered in good condition. In addition, the new materials will prevent food spoilage by contributing to increase shelf-life. This will have a direct impact on both, food safety and over the global problem related to food waste. Furthermore, these materials will mitigate the generation of new microplastics in the environment and will contribute to a circular economy by valorizing waste.

Working locations:

The EngD student will be based at Swansea University (UK), with punctual research stays at AINIA, in Valencia (Spain). At Swansea, the student will have access to the COATED M2A facilities, as well as to Supercomputing Wales for the computational research, with access to high-throughput high-performance computing, including the AccelerateAI facilities for GPU-based computing.

As mentioned before, AINIA has state-of-the-art laboratories and 10 pilot plants, with everything needed for instrumental analysis, general chemical analysis, sample preparation, reagent and packaging storage, bioassays, and a class III biosafety laboratory. All these capabilities are located across three modern buildings with open spaces and meeting rooms, where the student will be based during the research stays at AINIA. In addition to AINIA’s headquarters, Valencia is the capital city of the province of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. It is in the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, Internations, the world’s largest expat community, has placed Valencia first in its Expat City Ranking 2022 as the best city in the world to live. In addition, the European Commission has recently announced that Valencia will be the Green European Capital in 2024, due to the wellness of the city and the effort on creating recreative green spaces. Indeed, Valencia has the longest urban park in Europe with 12 km in length. Valencia has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. The main characteristic of the city is its sunny days. The city is also home to several beaches, including Malvarrosa Beach, which is a popular spot for sunbathing and swimming. The most well-known dish of Valencia is paella, a traditional rice dish made with seafood or meat and vegetables. Even though other delicious meals typical of Mediterranean cuisine can be tasted. It also has an international airport with direct flights to London and to other cities in UK.

Sponsor Company: AINIA

COATED M2A:

COATED M2A recognises applicants have a variety of backgrounds with different educational and research experiences. We do not expect applicants to be proficient users of any techniques/equipment mentioned, at the time of application. Our focus is to upskill our participants and training will be provided.

COATED M2A in the Faculty of Science and Engineering is a Swansea University initiative which provides postgraduate research training in partnership with industry, providing access to world class laboratories and a wealth of academic and industry expertise. COATED M2A is committed to providing top quality research opportunities within an inclusive environment, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Swansea University and Industry partners.

Interwoven through the research study are business, technical and entrepreneurial courses, designed to support and prepare participants for a senior role in industry or academia, on completion of their studies.

The Athena SWAN charter recognises work undertaken by institutions to advance gender equality. The College of Engineering is an Athena SWAN silver award holder and is committed to addressing unequal gender representation. Applications from women and other under-represented groups are particularly welcomed. 

All applications will be anonymised prior to short listing.

Are you considering making an application and have questions you’d like answered? Come and have a 1-2-1 chat with us at our applicant surgeries (Link). We encourage all applicants to review our ‘hints and tips’ document found here.

Eligibility

Candidates must normally hold at minimum (or expect to obtain by the start date) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University), or a combination of degree and equivalent experience to the same level.

NB: If you are holding a non-UK degree, please see Swansea University degree comparisons to find out if you meet the eligibility. 

English Language requirements: If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with at least 6.0 in each individual component) or Swansea recognised equivalent. Details on the Swansea University English Language entry policy can be found here.

Studentships for October 2023 entry are open to candidates of any nationality; however, please note:

  • International students (including EU countries) can apply, but due to UKRI funding rules, no more than 30% of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Functional Industrial Coatings projects can be allocated to international students. Once the cap is reached, studentships will only be open to applicants eligible for tuition fees at the UK rate, as defined by UKCISA regulations.

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the studentship(s) you are interested in.

Funding

This studentship covers a full award and includes a tax-free stipend (currently £22,000 per annum) and tuition fees, each for a period of four years, subject to meeting University progression requirements.

Also, a generous budget is available to support training, project costs, industry placements and travel to enable you to network and showcase your research at an international conference.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete your application online with the following information:

1. Course choice (section 1) – for administrative purposes only, please select PhD Materials Engineering and your application will be considered for the Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Materials, Modelling and Manufacturing programme. 

In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

2. Start year (section 1) – please select 2023

3. Personal Statement (section 6) – select ‘Add Personal Statement Text’ and set out your skills and experience and the relevance of these to the project within the text box provided. Please refer to the ‘hints and tips’ guide for details of how to structure your personal statement. Shortlisting decisions will be made on information supplied in section 6 of Apply only. Please do not attach a cover letter as it will not be considered.

4. Funding (section 8) –

  • ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
  • ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter [RS285 – Bio-Coatings]

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the studentship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

  • Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date/interim transcripts are sufficient)
  • Two references (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
  • Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
  • Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable).

Furthermore, we invite you to complete the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form (online form).  Data is solely collected for statistical purposes and is not viewed by those that shortlist.

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact M2A@swansea.ac.uk.

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the studentship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a studentship project is applicable.