The University of Oulu has revealed it is developing coating materials from suberin (a natural compound found in birch bark) for applications such as fibre-based packaging materials, tested in partnership with UPM and Metsä Board.
The research is part of the two-year COCOBIN project co-funded by Business Finland and coordinated by the university, involving a consortium of 15 research and industry partners. The total project budget is approximately €8.7 million.
Apparently, up to 1500 meters of a bio-based coating material prototype have been produced at semi-pilot scale. The material is suitable for applications including paper or paperboard as a moisture barrier, particularly in food packaging where the coating needs to prevent moisture from passing through the packaging material and protect the product.
The project began by extracting suberin from birch bark at semi-pilot scale, which was dried and processed into a fine powder before being mixed into a uniform coating formulation. According to the university, a water-based coating was then prepared using the powder, where suberin particles were evenly distributed in the liquid. Additional components were included to help the coating spread evenly and achieve the desired functional properties.
The coating was produced and tested using semi-pilot scale equipment that represents industrial production at a smaller scale, allowing the team to observe how the material behaves under conditions similar to real manufacturing. The coating was applied to two different wood fibre-based paper substrates from UPM and Metsä Board, with multiple trial runs carried out. Each run produced ‘hundreds of meters’ of material, resulting in a total coated length of approximately 1200–1500 meters.
The university states that the trials demonstrated the coating can be processed in a similar way to conventional coatings and that production is feasible beyond laboratory scale. The coated materials are currently being analysed to better understand their properties and performance in different applications.
“Suberin-based coatings can be used as a water vapour barrier in food packaging applications. Current coating materials are typically fossil-based and can present challenges for recycling. Suberin-based coatings can offer an alternative while achieving comparable performance,” comments Rajesh Koppolu, senior scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre.
Back in March, Quadpack introduced its BeautyWood 2026 packaging collection featuring refillable jars, lipsticks and compacts made with its Woodacity mono-material closure systems that function without plastic or other secondary materials. Each piece is made of 100% ash or maple wood sourced from ‘sustainably managed’ European forests.
PAPACKS is a finalist in the Renewables category of this year’s Sustainability Awards with its Molded Fiber Box for chilled fish and seafood, made from virgin wood fibre and industrial hemp. Produced at industrial scale in Germany, it’s said to be food-contact safe and recyclable in the paper waste stream.
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