Within the BIO-SUSHY project Wood K plus BCP and Coating Team are closely working together developing dry powder thermoplastic coatings being applied to different paper substrates using spray process.
BIO-SUSHY is entering its final phase, with efforts focused on:
- Scaling up selected coating formulations
- Testing compatibility with existing industrial coating lines
- Further validation in real-world food packaging applications
- Ongoing life cycle and socio-economic assessments
In parallel, the project continues to address key challenges, including cost optimisation, biodegradability, and regulatory compliance, to ensure market readiness. Selected best performing coating formulations as developed by Wood K plus and applied by spray onto paper as substrate material achieved the following Key functionalities:
- Excellent grease resistance was achieved (KIT rating up to 12 – maximum level)
- Strong water repellence with Cobb values up to ~3.5 g/m²
- Successful thermoforming trials for coated paper trays
- Up to 98% bio-based content in selected formulations
These results confirm the feasibility of high-performance, PFAS-free coatings that are compatible with industrial processes (converting thermoforming step) and meet recyclability and safety requirements. In close cooperation with an Italian End User Ecozema the selected coated papers were successfully thermoformed using industrial machines and the paper-based food trays are shown in the Figures. As it can be seen from the above shown pictures dependent on the lignin chemistries and manufacturing process as well as lignin loading different colour of the coatings could be achieved. As next step recycling process of selected food trays is ongoing following CEPI standard in close collaboration with member of BIO-SUSHY Advisory Board.
To support BIO-SUSHY Dissemination and Communication activities Wood K plus participated actively in several Online Events: Sustainable Materials for Coatings held on April 14th, 2026, organised by European Bioplastics (EUBP) https://zenodo.org/records/19571665, where Ivana Burzic gave a talk on “Dry powder lignin-based coatings for electrostatic spray applications – paper-based food trays”. Recording and presentations are available on this page: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/sustainablematerialscoatings/
This event was followed by the 3rd BIO-SUSHY training activity held on June 16th, 2026, focusing on “Introduction to Automated Multiscale Physics-Based Modelling for Safe & Sustainable Coatings.” The training helped explore how computational modelling can accelerate the development of PFAS-free alternatives in key industrial sectors. Try It Yourself: Interested readers and researchers are invited to explore the modular workflow discussed during the webinar.
You can access the interactive Google Colab:
👉 Try the BIO-SUSHY Modelling Tutorial: https://colab.research.google.com/drive/1fpjFznnonnpkc4cJywjsDK1b5K9Vc4TJ?usp=drive_link
👉 Here to explore more about: https://www.bio-sushy.eu/webinar-highlights-introducing-automated-multiscale-modelling-for-safe-sustainable-coatings/
