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Sustainability of materials

The Sustainability of materials research group investigates the sustainability of materials over their entire life cycle. The mission of the team is to provide suitable methods, metrics, tools, and accurate sustainability assessments of materials to guide the transition from a fossil-based economy to a biobased economy and from a linear to a circular economy.

Sustainability of materials

Research

Consistent and full sustainability assessments are needed to evaluate and enhance the sustainability performance of materials. It is important to address multiple sustainability issues at the same time over the full life cycle of a material, to avoid shifting (instead of improving) sustainability impacts. The multidisciplinary research team uses and advances environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), LCA-derived methodologies and other quantitative approaches to investigate the environmental, economic and social impact of materials. The applied LCA methodologies include attributional and consequential LCA, Life Cycle Costing, Social LCA, and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment.

The projects of the team focus on different parts of the materials value chain, from the resources and their supply chain, to the production of materials, different applications and end-of-life scenarios. The main areas of research are:

  • Materials made from renewable resources: biobased materials
  • Greener production routes for manufacturing of materials and chemical intermediates
  • Sustainable materials applications
  • Materials with improved end-of-life scenarios to prevent waste generation: circular materials

Projects

  • Surgeon operating

    CAREFREE

    Dutch healthcare accounts for 7-8% of the total national greenhouse gas emissions. In hospitals, at least 20% of this is related to the operating theatre. This includes waste, inhalation gases for anesthesia, energy for air refreshment, and medicine residues in wastewater. 

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  • Realise Bio

    Realise BIO

    In the Realise-Bio project, experienced partners will provide decisive impulses for the realisation of a circular bioeconomy and circular economy in the Interreg programme area in order to make the Germany-Netherlands border region greener and more liveable and to address global regional challenges such as climate change.

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  • Circular Cultivation and Chemistry

    Circular Cultivation and Chemistry

    In this program, we try to realize new ways to generate income and improve value chains that contribute to a circular economy, sustainable production and consumption, and healthy food - focusing on mission-driven innovations

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  • Hydrogen particle

    MOF2H2

    Metal Organic Frameworks for Hydrogen Production by Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting

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  • CARBIOW

    CARBIOW

    CARBIOW project will help Europe to take the lead in energy and transport sector decarbonization.

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  • Sustainable citriculture through controlled release of antibacterial molecules from microgel-based formulations

    Sustainable citriculture through controlled release of antibacterial molecules from microgel-based formulations

    The aim of this research project is the development of the bio-based and sustainable protection systems for citrus trees. Specifically, we will focus on the fabrication of stimuli-responsive microgels capable of strong binding to the leaves and controlled release of antibacterial molecules to combat citrus cancer.

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  • CIRCLES

    CIRCLES

    The aim of the project is to fill the gap by joining expertise and networks of Maastricht University and University of York for co-developing a novel framework with public and private stakeholders for measuring their organizational and value chain sustainability performance.

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  • BioBased ValueCircle

    BioBased ValueCircle

    BioBased ValueCircle offers a unique interdisciplinary research and training environment tailored for 12 early stage researchers (PhDs) excited by the development of innovative bio-based products, respecting the principles of the circular economy.

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  • METHASOL

    International cooperation for selective conversion of CO2 into METHAnol under SOLar light (METHASOL)

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  • Sustainability of biobased materials in a circular economy

    Sustainability of biobased materials in a circular economy

    As awareness, research and funding on biobased materials have increased significantly over the recent years, questions on how these innovative materials can help to close the material loops and address environmental issues have become more important than ever.

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  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

    Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a versatile technique to quantify environmental impacts and compare different products and technologies.

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  • CurCol

    CurCol

    The Interreg NWE project CurCol aims to demonstrate economic potential for the production chains from regionally produced plants to colourants in packaging.

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  • ZCORE

    ZCORE

    The ZCORE project (from seaweed to coating resins applications) brings together the relevant companies (SMEs) and knowledge partners in the field of seaweed production and refining (Zeeland), bio-aromatics production (Nord-Brabant) and in the field of coatings and sustainability (Limbourg).

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Education

  • BBM1001 Biobased Materials, Master Biobased Materials
  • BBM1005 Process Technology, Master Biobased Materials
  • BBM1013 Sustainability of Biobased Materials, Master Biobased Materials
  • BBM5000 Master Thesis supervision, Master Biobased Materials
  • Member Educational Programme Committee Master Biobased Materials
  • Academic Advising Master Biobased Materials
  • CEN1001 Engineering in a Circular Economy, Bachelor Circular Engineering
  • CEN2022 Biobased Materials, Bachelor Circular Engineering
  • CEPRO1110 Life Cycle Assessment Project, Bachelor Circular Engineering
  • ENG3014 Biotechnology for Sustainable Processes, Bachelor Circular Engineering
  • BENC2015 Biobased Materials, Bachelor Business Engineering
  • BENP1002 Circular Economy Project (Life Cycle Assessment), Bachelor Business Engineering
  • BENP2004 Bachelor Thesis Supervision, Bachelor Business Engineering
  • INT3005 Biobased Materials & Technology, Bachelor Maastricht Science Programme
  • Supervision of Bachelor project periods, Bachelor Maastricht Science Programme
  • Academic Advising Bachelor Maastricht Science Programme
  • Assessment Platform Science Masters FSE
  • EBC2187 Sustainability and Social-Ecological Systems, Minor in Sustainability
  • Online training module “Life Cycle Assessment: Basic Principles and Uses”

Materials for a Sustainable Society

Head of the Sustainability of biobased materials-group Associate. prof. Yvonne van der Meer tells about materials for a sustainable society.

Sustainable? green? eco-friendly? Do you also care about the environment and like to learn how to determine if a product/process/service is sustainable? Join our Chemelot InSciTe LCA course next year to find out more!

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