The European Polysaccharide Network POLYSACCHARIDES

1. The European Polysaccharide Network POLYSACCHARIDES

2. PROJECT TEAM P1: ARMINES-ENSMP-Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux CEMEF, (Higher education, Research), France (P. Navard) Role in the project:chemical physics, thermodynamics, rheology, rheo-optics, modelling Main general activities:rheo-optics of polymeric materials P2: Institute of Chemistry, Christian Doppler Laboratory for Pulp Reactivity, University of Agricultural Sciences (BOKU), (Higher Education, Research), Austria (P. Kosma) Role in the project:wood organic chemistry Main general activities:organic chemistry, wood, cellulose pulping and bleaching chemistry, solvent systems P3: Centre of Excellence for Polysaccharide Research at the University of Jena, Germany (T. Heinze) Role in the project:fundamental chemistry of derivatisation Main general activities:Chemical functionalization of polysaccharides. Structure analysis. Structure-properties relationships. Nanostructures

3. P4: Fraunhofer-Institute for Applied Polymer Research, Germany (H.-P. Fink, W. Vorwerg) Role in the project:structural characterisation, starch applications Main general activities:Derivatization of cellulose and starch. Chemical modification of starch. Characterisation and testing P5: VTT Biotechnology, Finland (T. Reinikainen) Role in the project:applied enzymology, encapsulation Main general activities:enzymatic modification of cellulosic fibers, hemicellulose and chitin, starch films and starch encapsulation P6: Federal Research Centre of Forestry and Forest Products, Germany (J. Puls) Role in the project:polysaccharide raw material extraction, hemicelluloses Main general activities:Enzymology of wood polysaccharides degradation. Enzyme-aided bleaching of primary pulps and enzyme-aided recycling of waste paper

4. P7: Abo Akademi University, Laboratory of Forest Products Chemistry, Process Chemistry group, Finland (B. Holmbom) Role in the project:Fibre and papermaking chemistry. Mannans, galactans and pectins Main general activities:pulping, bleaching an refining of wood, recovery of polymeric hemicelluloses from plants, characterisation of lignin P8: “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romania (B. Simionescu) Role in the project:cellulose and hemicelluloses applications Main general activities:polymer chemistry and physics, polysaccharides, vegetal biomass, pulp and paper technology P9: Laboratory for Characterization and Processing of Polymers, University of Maribor, Slovenia (K. Stana-Kleinschek) Role in the project:interfaces chemistry, physics and properties Main general activities:cellulose fibres, surface chemistry, solid polysaccharides surface properties and surface modification, structure, synthesis of polyfunctional reagents, organic analysis, molecular characterisation, standardized analyses of textile materials, polymer solutions, melts and solids

5. P10: ATO, The Netherlands (J. Van Dam) Role in the project:polysaccharide conversion Main activities dealing with the project:Fundamental and applied research to develop novel industrial applications for renewable resources, e.g. fibre crops, cellulose, starches, and other plant constituents: plant fibre morphology, and fibre cell wall formation, cellulose orientation and structural deformation during extraction and processing, chemical carbohydrate composition in relation to fibre quality, chemical and biotechnological cellulose extraction and modification, lignin chemistry (dyeing bleaching); rheology of thermoplastic starches, particle size distribution, plasticisers and processing aids P11: Thüringische Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung (TITK), Germany (F. Meister) Role in the project:Chemical processing, development of natural polymer applications, molding and shaping Main general activities:Modification and forming of natural polymers. Chemical recovery of polymer wastes into processable monomers and oligomers. Technology developments

6. P12: Institut of Chemical Fibres, Poland (H. Struszczyk, D. Ciechanska) Role in the project:Microbiology, chemistry and applications of chitin, chitosan and alginates. Applications in medecine and agriculture Main general activities:Biotechnology, microbiology, dynamic biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose. Processing of fibres, films, microspheres, nanostructures P13: School of Biosciences, Division of Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK (J. Mitchell) Role in the project:Starch processing, applications of polysaccharides in pharmaceutical industry Main general activities:starch characterisation and processing, materials science of biological molecules in food and pharmaceutical applications

7. P14: INRA, Centre de Recherches Agro-Alimentaires de Nantes, France (P. Colonna) Role in the project:Starch interactions/complexations in multicomponents systems, local order in biomimetic or cell wall architectures. Synergic polysaccharides interactions from dispersions to films Main general activities :Structures, interactions, and processing of plant polysaccharides from cell walls and organelles to foods and materials P15: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Textile and Fibre Chemistry in Cellulosics, Institute of Textile Chemistry and Textile Physics, University Innsbruck, Austria (T. Bechtold) Role in the project:Textile applications Main general activities:textile chemical analysis, physical textile testing, textile processing of cellulose, pre-treatment, dyeing, finishing P16: University of Utrecht, Department of Science, Technology and Society (STS), The Netherlands (M. Patel) Role in the project:Polysaccharide policy, environmental assessments Main general activities:Life cycle assessment, Techno-economic analysis, Policy analysis

8. General Excellence of the network and complementarity • best groups in Europe in their field • - more than 30% of papers on polysaccharides • - organising the major conferences in this field • - best marks or evaluations from their National evaluation committees • - industrial partnership • - recently received awards • ability to work in a trans-disciplinary, international manner • - international collaborations through EU contracts • - direct industrial contracts • - working with more than one polysaccharide type • covering expertise needed • - scientific expertise in polysaccharides • - expertise in complementary disciplines (chemistry, biology, enzymology, physics, modelling, materials science, simulation, processing, life cycle and economy)

9. Main pieces of equipment that will be sheared Characterization:Avance 300 MHz NMR (Bruker) with QNP probehead for H,C, N, P with z gradients, NMR spectroscopy (Varian 400 MHz (solid state 13C-CP/MAS) solid, Varian 500 MHz (solutions)), HPCE, HPLC / GPC with MALLS, fluorescence, RI, UV-DAD detection, MALDI-QTOFMS, FTIR, GC, EPR (Jeol), ICP-SFMS, Laser-Ablation ICP-MS, UV/Fluorescence, 400 MHz Bruker AMX NMR spectrometer, FTIR Bio-Rad FTS 25 PC, TGA Mettler Toledo TC 15, Elemental analyzer CHNS 932 Leco, JASCO GPC (DG-980-50; PU-980; RI-detector 930; UV-detector 975), Mettler Toledo Coulometer DL 37 Physical analysis and testing:TOF-SIMS, XPS, AAS, Ion chromatograph, DCP-AES, SEM-EDXA, FTIR, AFM, ICP-MS, Perkin Elmer DSC7, Perkin Elmer Diamond Pyrus Step Scan DSC, Seteram Microcalorimeter. Texture Analysers, Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis, Rapid Viscosity Analyser, Rosand Capillary Rheometer, Dilute Solution Capillary Viscometer, Stable Microsystems Powder Rheometer, Phase Transition Analyser, several rheometers (Bohlin, Haake, Reologica, Rheometrics), thermoanalytics (DSC, DMA; Perkin Elmer), pore characterization by Hg, BET- and SAXS-methods, electron microscopy (Jeol SM 6330F incl. Oxford-direct cryo-transfer-system, EDX, Philips CM 200 TEM), environmental electron microscopy, Brewster, confocal, phase contrast, transmission microscopes, X-ray scattering (several small and wide angle film cameras, light scattering (sophica)), High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, SEC; Waters, Perkin Elmer), ion exchange chromatography (Dionex)  Modification and shaping equipments:jet-cooker, pilot-scale spray drier, several extruders, lab press equipment, mini pilot plant carbamate synthesis, mini pilot plant NMMO technology, mini pilot plant wet spinning (viscose, carbamate), several extruders, Clextral BC21 Twin Screw Extruder, injection molding

10. OBJECTIVES • Overall objectives • to establish during the first 18 months of existence of the project an independent, non-profit, private, single administrative and legal entity called the European Polysaccharide Network Association (EPNA) that will run all the activities developed in common and interact directly inside the partner’s organization • to combine all fields around polysaccharide research • to train students, scientists in academia and industry • to spread knowledge, results and excellence • to attract the interest of citizens for science • to organise in an efficient way the economical and administrative integration • Scientific and technological integration and basic science / applied science integration. Programme for jointly executed research • Building of a set of rules and actions to have a continuous flow of information from the network activity and the activity of its members towards individual EU companies • Development of specialised competence laboratories • Planning and organisation of the collective research work in agreement with the jointly executed research topic • Definition of the needed resources (money, students)

11. General structure

12. Overall management structure

13. Scientific Integrated Activities: the Jointly Executed Research • Polysaccharide raw materials extraction, structural characterisation and molecular modeling • - extraction of the various components of the always multi-material raw sources • - understanding the structure and morphology of the individual components and their nano and micro self-assembly superstructures • New principles of enzymatic, chemical and physical conversion of polysaccharides • - polysaccharide derivatisation • - novel functionalities by enzymatic modifications • - new polysaccharide structures • Combination of different polysaccharides • - blends of cellulose and starch • - development of systems with viscosity regulating properties • - development of systems with adhesive properties • - investigation of modified blends for encapsulation of active agents and living biological materials • Advanced materials and products. New environmentally friendly processing routes of isolated and mixed polysaccharides • - preparation of nanostructures in dependence on molecular composition • - coupling the sophisticated functionalities of polysaccharides to other materials

14. Integration activities to spread excellence and knowledge • Exchange of permanent staff • Establishment of rules allowing the PhD students of the members to spend time in other locations. Organisation of these short term relocations. Search for the financial support • Establishment of courses open to academic and industrial scientists; E-learning modules • Building of common Internet communication tools towards outside the network, incorporating both EPNA and individual members data • Establishment of an internal web site and of tele-conference facilities in each location • Promoting high level polysaccharide research dissemination by reestablishing the sleeping Cellulose Chemistry and Technology journal, editing by Partner P8 • Translation of National programmes (Dutch Polymer Institute for ex), national conferences (French Groupe Français des Polymeres for ex.) into English and posting of them on the internal web site of the Network • Meetings - organisation of the general annual meeting of the network; participation to already established conference by organising specific symposium; organisation of “brain-storming” type of meetings to promote free discussions and ideas • Relations with the European citizens. Public Relation actions towards students to promote science and policy makers • Basic working condition equality

16. Partnership expansion • No partnership expansion will take place during the first 18 months • The condition to increase the size of the consortium is that the shift from EC money to competitive money is as planned above • It is expected that increasing the size of the consortium will increase the need to raise industrial funding