FLEXIZYME at Polymers 2025
We are proud to highlight the participation of Maria Beatrice Coltelli from the Università di Pisa, a key partner in the FLEXIZYME project, at Polymers 2025, a major international conference on polymer science and innovation. Maria Beatrice gave a presentation on her team’s research titled: “Amine Functionalized Polymers and Compounds for Protective Coatings in Safe Applications”, co-authored with V. Gigante, L. Aliotta, and A. Lazzeri, all from the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering.
The conference, held alongside Composites 2025 and 3Bs Materials Tech 2025, brought together researchers from academia and industry to discuss advances in polymer chemistry, physics, theory, modeling, and applications, particularly in the biomedical, energy, and environmental sectors.
About the research
The presented work explored the use of amine-functionalized biopolymers, particularly chitosan and fatty amines, to create advanced protective coatings with antimicrobial properties.
Chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose,and its derivatives such as chitosan and chitin nanofibrils are known for their antimicrobial behavior. Meanwhile, fatty amines, widely used in detergents, cosmetics, and agricultural products, offer hydrophobicity and are now being produced through sustainable enzymatic processes, such as those developed within FLEXIZYME.
The research focused on combining both materials and characterizing their thermal, spectroscopic, and mechanical properties to develop effective, safe coatings with wide potential for applications in personal care, hygiene, packaging, and beyond.
Connecting Research to FLEXIZYME’s Goals
This work strongly aligns with FLEXIZYME’s vision of converting fat- and protein-rich residues into bio-based fatty amines using biotechnological methods. Exploring the use of fatty amines in practical materials applications helps bridge the gap between lab-scale innovation and real-world impact in sectors focused on safety, sustainability, and performance.
Stay tuned as we continue to share how FLEXIZYME partners are advancing research, sustainability, and bio-based innovation across Europe.
Learn more about the conference: https://setcor.org/conferences/polymers-2025
