Dr Simon Curling Archives

Biobased coatings for paper packaging

Paper based packaging has seen an increase in use recently, driven by the increase in home deliveries and online shopping. As a renewable and biodegradable source of packaging it has a number of advantages over other materials such as plastic. However, in some applications paper isn’t suitable due to its porous structure resulting in poor barrier properties to liquids. A possible solution is a barrier or coating of some kind, with the use of biobased coating sourced from renewable materials preferred. Whilst biodegradation is an important factor, the ability to repulp and reuse these materials is seen as a key factor in creating circular processes and reducing resource use. This is the basis of a current project of a post graduate student, Jennifer Woods, at Bangor University who is working with Wipak UK Ltd. Funded through the Kess 2 program and working with the Transfire project Paper Working Group [...]

TransFIRe partner collaboration on the tiles

In the summer of last year, a range of teams from across TransFIRe began working with Zentia, a ceiling tile manufacturer in Gateshead, to develop a case study focused on reducing energy usage, capturing and reusing waste heat and exploring the use of additives and alternative product mixtures to improve the material properties of their products. Zentia’s factory produces ceiling tiles formed from a wet mixture of newsprint, starch, fibreglass and other minerals, which are then pressed and dried by passing through a long series of gas-fired ovens. The manufacturing process generates large amounts of steam and hot air and offers significant potential for heat and water recovery projects. Initially brought into the TransFIRe programme by Professor Justin Perry and Dr Matt Unthank, Chemical Technical Working Group members from Northumbria University, to explore the use of alternative tile coatings, the engineering and management team at Zentia also expressed interest [...]