Engineering technology
BUBBLES WITH BENEFITS
The demand for protective packaging materials is constantly growing, driven especially by the increasing popularity of E-commerce. However, plastic materials have numerous harmful effects throughout their linear lifecycles. For example, plastic production relies on non-renewable fossil fuels and creates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. In addition, the majority of plastic waste ends up in the environment, causing significant environmental, economic, and health risks Without changes to the current practices, the global amount of plastic waste is forecasted to triple to over 1040 million tonnes by 2060. To combat the global plastic pollution crisis, there is an urgent and growing need for sustainable alternatives, especially for plastic packaging materials that make up nearly half of the global plastic waste.
Our solution is a sustainable sealed air packaging material (bubble and foam wrap) that provides the benefits of sealed air packaging material without harming the environment. It is completely plastic-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable, and low cost. It does not contribute to the current microplastic crisis as it is cellulose-based and dissolves in water. Our material is flexible, customizable in size/shape/colors, and contains air bubbles that provide superior cushioning for protecting fragile items during storing and delivery. With these features, it has the potential to address the current gap in the market of sustainable protective packaging materials. The demand for protective packaging materials is constantly growing, driven especially by the increasing popularity of E-commerce. However, plastic materials have numerous harmful effects throughout their linear lifecycles. For example, plastic production relies on non-renewable fossil fuels and creates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. In addition, the majority of plastic waste ends up in the environment, causing significant environmental, economic, and health risks without changes to the current practices, the global amount of plastic waste is forecasted to triple to over 1040 million tonnes by 2060. To combat the global plastic pollution crisis, there is an urgent and growing need for sustainable alternatives, especially for plastic packaging materials that make up nearly half of the global plastic waste.
Our solution is a sustainable sealed air packaging material (bubble and foam wrap) that provides the benefits of sealed air packaging material without harming the environment. It is completely plastic-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable, and low cost. It does not contribute to the current microplastic crisis as it is cellulose-based and dissolves in water. Our material is flexible, customizable in size/shape/colors, and contains air bubbles that provide superior cushioning for protecting fragile items during storing and delivery. With these features, it has the potential to address the current gap in the market of sustainable protective packaging materials.
Contact: Janne Raula, Innovation Advisor (CHEM)
CIRPA
The replacement of oil-based materials with sustainable, recyclable biomaterials is a growing challenge in many areas of business. Also, there is a large need for acoustic treatment of indoor spaces, such as open-plan offices, learning environments, as well as private apartments where increasing amounts of high-quality media content is being created. The Circular Panels R2B-project aims to provide a solution to these problems by producing fully bio-based recyclable indoor acoustic panels that have a surface optimized for acoustic applications and that have design properties that make them competitive as decorative elements.
Contact: Panu Kuosmanen, Innovation Advisor (ENG)
LI-AKU-REC
Lithium-Ion batteries are used in rapidly growing quantities everywhere in our daily lives. Recovering materials from used batteries in a safe, environmentally friendly, and economically sustainable manner in a form of black mass is a must to meet the fast-growing market demand for the batteries. Mining more virgin minerals will not satisfy the growing demand alone, but also other material sources are needed. Common expectations are that majority of the battery minerals will be coming from the old, recycled batteries and battery scrap from battery manufacturers.
Channels for recycling old batteries already exist today, but the problem is that the process for capturing valuable metals is very inefficient, costly, and not environmentally sustainable.
Aalto University has been innovating a solution that would greatly improve the efficiency, is ecological, uses no chemicals, and can operate without high heat. Early results show that the innovated solution promises above 70% recovery of Lithium, compared to current solutions that are capable of salvaging roughly only 42% of Lithium from used batteries. This novel solution, Li-Aku-REC process, is being patented and the next step is to build a PoC and prepare for commercialization. This project aims to prepare the solution to be launched for potential customers by offering a novel solution that is needed to support this fast growing global market. In addition, the project intends to give optimum conditions for commercialization preparation of the Li-Aku-REC.
Contact: Panu Kuosmanen, Innovation Advisor (ENG)
PCMI
Heat flows as a result of contact between materials with different temperatures. Thermal insulation prevents heat exchange between materials where needed. This makes insulation materials widely important in daily life use for example in electronics, buildings, packaging, etc. There are common insulation materials on the market such as mineral fibers, polystyrene, natural fibers, or rigid foam boards. But majority of these products are fossil-fuel-based, non-biodegradable, or inefficient in controlling temperature. This project introduces a new type of insulation materials as a perfect candidate for self-regulating thermo-packaging. Our insulation is composed of bio-feedstocks and phase change materials (PCM) that can help achieving a more energy-efficient temperature-control via leakage-free phase change processes. Our PCM Insulation (PCMI) can absorb and release extra thermal energy while keeping the temperature constant. PCMI is eco-friendly and reduces carbon footprint compared to traditional insulation packaging such as polystyrene or polyurethane foams. PCMI offers effective thermal protection with a lightweight bio-based origin, significantly preventing temperature fluctuations for example during goods transport and delivery.
Contact: Panu Kuosmanen, Innovation Advisor (ENG)
TWINBASE
The aim of the Twinbase project is to commercialize Aalto University's research results in the subject area of digital twins. At the center of the project is a platform customized for the management of digital twins, which we call Twinbase. The platform enables vendor-independent management of digital twins based on standardized ways of describing digital twins. There are several different standards and specifications suitable for describing, and we call their use the digital twin description document method. However, the twin description document method is not yet established, so twin documents are studied both methodically as well as through application to practical digital twins. The applicability of ontologies and identity technologies to the twin document method is also studied and developed, and user interface research is carried out to present the information and functionalities offered by the document method in an optimal way. The project maps pilot customers and ensures the platform's suitability for managing their digital twins. The goal of the project is to prove the usability of the method in practical tests and create a basis for starting business around the platform.
Contact: Panu Kuosmanen, Innovation Advisor (ENG)
WUUD
Mechanically and chemically modified wood Wuud, is an outstanding solution for exterior and interior claddings. A ready to install cladding product that combines new surface textures and aesthetics, a natural color scale that is well suited for modern architecture, a 50-year service free lifespan and fire proofing.
Contact: Janne Raula, Innovation Advisor (CHEM)