Project Portugal 2030

Summary

The NEXTGENCOAT's major goal is to develop novel multifunctional, bio-sourced, and eco-friendly polymeric coatings with high (bio)degradation rate at the end of service life, which can be revalorized and upcycled under a sustainable and circular approach. Innovative eco-friendly coatings will be developed to protect objects from weathering (less demanding applications) or metallic structures from corrosion or biofouling in high-performance applications (e.g., aeronautical, maritime, offshore). After service, end-of-life polymeric materials will be revalorized to produce novel added-value eco-products, bringing circularity into a sector that currently treats and disposes of these materials just as harmful waste. This strategy fully aligns with the EU Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Fig. 2). The NEXTGENCOAT major goal will be achieved through the completion of the following specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) objectives: #1 Develop and optimize environmentally-friendly polymeric coating formulations (KPI=2) with enhanced (bio)degradation in the end-of-life, one for high-performance applications (e.g., aeronautical or maritime), and other for regular or temporary applications (e.g., protection of cultural heritage objects) within 27 months. #2 Combine cutting-edge technologies (TRL2) and stimuli-responsive nanoadditives (TRL5) (KPI=2) to develop “smart” (bio)degradable coatings within 12 months. #3 Assess the environmental behavior and (eco)toxicological effects of the formulation components (KPI=2), leachates from promising formulations (KPI=2), and end-of-life coating materials (KPI=1), within 33 months. #4 Develop new objects (KPI=1) based on revalorized end-of-life coating materials within 36 months. #5 Provide training opportunities (KPI=9 activities; cf. Table 1) for involved researchers, particularly early-stage researchers and engaged students, to promote lifelong training based on the acquisition or consolidation of scientific/technical skills as well as innovation-driven and transferable skills. #6 Promote outreach and citizens’ engagement (KPI>100 individuals) for environmental awareness. #7 Publish foreground data through collaborative R&D scientific publications (KPI=7 open-access papers; cf. Table 3 for further details regarding expected publications; please kindly note that a total of seven scientific publications, one Special Issue, three theses, and ten communications, among other dissemination outputs, are expected by the end of the project; however, in the section of "Indicators," only nine publications (7 papers+1 SI+1 MSc. thesis) were mentioned in the item RCR08, being excluded the book of abstracts/conference proceedings that often have no acknowledgments section as well as the two Ph.D. theses that are not expected to be defended by the end of the project).