Sebastian Bonilla: SCGC-FIRST Award

Many congratulations to Professor Sebastian Bonilla, who has won, jointly with Professor Robert Hoye of the Department of Chemistry, an SCGC-FIRST Award to research 'pioneering sustainable food packaging with advanced coatings'.

Plastic waste is a global crisis, with over 300M tonnes produced annual, yet less then 10% is recycled.  While biodegradable materials offer a potential solution for food packaging, they often fail to provide the necessary barriers against water and oxygen.

Professor Bonilla and Professor Hoye are working to change this.  Their research focuses on ultra-low permeability oxide coatings applied to biodegradable polymers using a cutting-edge printing technique known as spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD).  Their technology, developed through NanoPrint, offers unparalleled protection and performance, promising to revolutionise the £800Bn flexible packaging industry.