A.R.T.I.S.T.: Advanced Recycling Technology for Innovative Styrene Transformation

Project A.R.T.I.S.T is a collaboration between Hempel, C-Source Renewables (CSR) Limited, the University of Edinburgh, and Impact Solutions with the aim of reducing the carbon footprint of the paints and coatings industry. The project focuses on using bio-based styrene material in the production of paints and coatings instead of the petrochemically produced equivalent. Bio-based styrene has the potential to significantly reduce the industry's carbon footprint, but there is still uncertainty about product yields, and the initial toxicity of bio-styrene generated inside the cell presents a barrier to achieving the required production values.

To address these challenges, A.R.T.I.S.T will use bio-derived glucose rich bread waste that undergo enzymatic conversion to produce Bio-Styrene, which will be used to create polymers following Hempel's existing formulations as a guide. The resulting high-performance styrene-acrylic emulsion paint formulations will have significantly lower environmental impact, and the process supports a 20% reduction in GHG-emissions.

The project will use synthetic biology capabilities at UoE to genetically optimize the entire pathway enabling the project to increase productivity and titres of bio-styrene from L-phenylalanine and ultimately D-glucose waste, delivering predictable/consistent processes suitable for manufacturing at scale and surpassing the state-of-the-art.

The project outcomes include a bioprocess for styrene production from waste-feedstocks, an optimized, purpose-built protocol for creating bio-styrene-based polymers, a report detailing full characterization of the bio-styrene monomer/polymer, and a life-cycle/market analysis and route to commercialization report.

Project A.R.T.I.S.T aligns with the UK government's aim to grow the bio-economy sector to £440b by 2030 and enables the paints and coatings industry to become more environmentally sustainable while better meeting the needs of customers who are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of manufacturing. The potential impact of A.R.T.I.S.T is significant, as the project could significantly reduce the industry's carbon footprint while meeting the growing demand for environmentally sustainable products.