Glycans represent a family of substance so far underestimated for material use. Primarily, they can be obtained from by extraction from carbohydrate-rich or lignocellulosic material streams.

The great challenges are the cost efficiency and resource requirements of currently available technologies. This concerns the extraction and purification for recovery on the one hand, and the further processing on the other hand, since chemical modifications are necessary for material use.

Depending on the type of biogenic material, polyphenols and non-polar carboxylic acids as by-products of glycans with comparable value-added potential are to be mentioned, the potential of which is also to be evaluated. The project develops the scientific basis for new extraction and modification processes for glycans and their by-products.

The focus of the new processes is based on increasing competitiveness relative to industrially used cellulose and starch derivatives as well as petroleum-based polymers in paints, inks and additives.