Grant: College - University Idea to Innovation Grants

The paper and paperboard packaging market is actually subjected to a strong and growing trend from consumerpreferences towards biodegradable materials due to environmental concerns. As a matter of fact, there is a fastgrowing need for sustainable, cost-effective, and ecologically compatible high-barrier materials as areplacement for petroleum derived polymers for food packaging and other applications that contribute to land and ocean pollution. Packaging trends are actually moving from synthetic, non-recyclable materials tosustainable, recyclable, compostable and repulpable natural materials. Moreover, increasing cost of nonbio-based options is an issue. Therefore, there is an interest to replace fossil-based polymers by biopolymers in such packaging applications. Paper packaging materials should provide the necessary barrier properties against water, water vapor, gases/air and grease/oils depending on end-use applications. New technologies must bedeveloped not only to improve barrier properties but also to comply with sustainability issues. This research project is aiming at the development of packaging products using bio-based polymers. Coating formulations will be developed and applied on paper from laboratory coater to pilot coater. This research is important for theindustrial partner allowing him to develop new competitive products for fast growing markets. This projectshould globally; contribute to sustainability and environmental accountability by a better use of one of Canada'smost abundant, renewable resources, its forests; provide the consumer markets with eco-friendly packagingproducts containing recyclable and re-usable fibers and bio-derived polymers for replacement ofpetroleum-based plastics, and finally; contribute to find partial solutions to waste-disposal problems associated with traditional petroleum-derived packaging materials.