The project is called NanoTextSurf, or “Nanocellulose-based coatings for functional membranes”, and the part that takes place at Stockholm University is led by Aji Mathew, Professor focusing on functional materials from nanocellulose at the Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University.

– The nanotextured surfaces will provide new functional possibilities for materials, for example antifouling surfaces, self cleaning surfaces and anti skid surfaces, says Aji Mathew.

Her research is about developing bio-based functional materials with special focus on green and environmental-friendly processes. For example, the technique can be used in the paper or pharmaceutical industry.

The Horizon 2020 program allocates about 80 billion euros to research and innovation over the seven-year period 2014-2020, and the NanoTextSurf project will receive funding for a three-year period. The project is a so called Innovation Action and includes 13 partners, of which more than half come from industry. Eight countries are participating, for example Finland, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden and Spain. The goal is to get close to a product launch.

NanoTextSurf will get started in November. The project is coordinated by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.