RegFibMed

8th Joint Call: RegFibMed

The proposal aims to develop regenerative fibres for medical and biomedical applications from biogenic waste materials such as poultry feathers and crab or insect shells. RegFibMed transforms waste into value-added, biodegradable fibres for wound dressing, tissue engineering, and sustainable textiles, reducing reliance on imported cotton and synthetic polymers.
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Background

Medical products such as bandages and wound dressings are predominantly cotton-based, yet cotton cultivation has a significant environmental impact and most countries depend on imports. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of global supply chains and the need for local, sustainable sources of critical materials.

Poultry feathers (keratin) and crab/insect shells (chitin/chitosan) are produced in massive quantities worldwide as industrial waste. Improper disposal causes environmental problems, while both keratin and chitin exhibit antibacterial properties, making them ideal for medical applications. Upcycling these resources reduces CO₂ emissions, avoids waste, and creates fully biodegradable alternatives to synthetic fibres.

The project

RegFibMed will:

  • Develop keratin-based hydrogel fibres for wound dressings, artificial plant growth media, and tissue engineering scaffolds with controlled compound release.
  • Create keratin–chitin hybrid fibres with improved mechanical stability, suitable as support fabrics or sustainable substitutes for nylon and polyester.
  • Apply wet-spinning techniques from aqueous solutions, ensuring environmentally friendly production.
  • Close the materials cycle by ensuring full biodegradability of fibres.
  • Strengthen local economies and resilience by using abundant, locally available waste resources.

The science

The project integrates polymer chemistry, biomaterials, fibre technology, and biomedical applications. Key research focuses include:

  • Hydrogel fibre design based on keratin with swelling and drug-release properties.
  • Hybrid keratin–chitin fibres for durability and textile-like applications.
  • Process development for fibre spinning using aqueous, sustainable methods.
  • Material characterisation for antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability.
  • Testing in biomedical and textile contexts to validate real-world applications.

The team

  • Prof. Dr. Oliver Weichold (Coordinator), RWTH Aachen University, Germany
  • Prof. Dr. Arunee Kongdee Aldred, Maejo University, Thailand
  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Bechtold, University of Innsbruck, Austria

 

Contact

Prof. Dr. Oliver Weichold                        E-Mail: weichold@ibac.rwth-aachen.de 

Tags
CIRCULAR ECONOMY