Aitiip Technology Center (Zaragoza, Spain) provides updates on the CUBIC project, a research and innovation initiative that began in September 2023, funded by Circular Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU) under Horizon Europe, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

CUBIC’s focus is the development of bio-based intermediate formats — such as filaments, sheets (organosheets and unidirectional tapes), granules and powder — and their combination, in the hopes of overcoming current technical limitations in sectors such as automotive or energy, where a single bio-based material would not be enough.

Bio-based materials have proven to be suitable candidates to replace petroleum derivatives in various application areas. However, due to differences in physical and thermochemical properties, direct replacement of the current material with a newly developed bio-based one is not trivial. Thus, CUBIC considers aspects such as technical design, materials to be used, processability and life cycle. These materials will be demonstrated through the development of a car seat and pressure hydrogen storage container, in anticipation of opening up replicability options in other sectors such as sports, aeronautics and railways.

During these first months of CUBIC’s development, work is underway on the design and development of different types of polyamide, carbon fiber and epoxy resin, all of them bio-based and specially designed to meet the functional requirements of the final products for which they are intended. CUBIC will last 42 months and brings together a consortium of 13 partners from eight European countries. 

Aitiip, as project coordinator, contributes its experience in the development of new materials and its knowledge in eco-design to ensure the success of CUBIC. The technology center is also responsible for project management, partner coordination and dissemination of results.

One of the 13 partners of the consortium is Aitiip’s spin-off, Moses Productos, which will have the mission of working on the design, manufacture and validation of final products, such as the panel that forms part of the car seat.

“We are proud to lead CUBIC, a project that has the potential to transform the European manufacturing industry, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 44% in some product manufacturing processes,,” says Leyre Hernández, CUBIC coordinator. “At Aitiip, we are committed to developing innovative and sustainable solutions, and CUBIC is a perfect example of this commitment.”