Sustainable Proteins Can Partially Replace Latex in Carpet Coatings
WAGENINGEN, the Netherlands - In the transition to a circular economy, more and more companies are looking for sustainable alternatives to components made from fossil raw materials. One such company is EOC Belgium NV, which produces products including compounds for the carpet industry. Together with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, EOC studied the properties of specific proteins and how they could be adapted to make them suitable for carpet coating applications.
The goal of the joint project between EOC and Wageningen Food & Biobased Research was to show that latex in carpet coatings, currently made from petroleum, can be partially replaced by protein fragments. This goal was achieved: the research proved that up to 20 percent can be replaced. During the project, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research focused on the chemical conversion process of the protein fragments in relation to the desired behavior (adhesive strength and binding) of the coating. The study used food-grade protein to determine the proof of principle, but the eventual goal is to work with proteins from residual streams such as grass and leaves.