August 2, 2024, Milan, Italy A startup is looking for industrial partners to develop a potential bio-based material.
Biosyness, a young startup in Milan, is developing a coating material obtained by mixing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with cellulose and recycled coffee grounds.
Iranian researcher Alireza Mansouri, who founded the startup after completing his university education in Milan, explained that the material, once calendered, can be used in the upholstery of furniture and as faux leather.
Currently, the matrix is based on TPU (about 35% of the powder comes from coffee grounds), but the goal is to also formulate compounds with biopolymers such as PLA and PBAT. Micronized coffee grounds are used as fillers, modifiers and pigments to improve the material's durability, flexibility and anti-odor properties.
The project is currently in the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) phase and examples have been produced for testing and application development. Numerous laboratory tests have also been conducted to evaluate the functional role of coffee, not just as a filler, and to verify processability in different thicknesses, colors and patterns.
Biosyness is currently looking for an industrial partner to start trial production of the required high quality pellets by compound extrusion.
