Unveiling the Bio-Revolution: Top Players and Trends in Eco-friendly Materials

Ever wondered who's leading the charge in creating materials that are kind to the planet? Our research dives into the world of biobased materials, focusing on key players and how they're driving innovation. Think of it like a treasure map, guiding us through the ins and outs of eco-friendly materials. Why is this important? Well, these materials can make production and consumption a lot greener. But there's a catch: not many studies have looked closely at who's doing what in this field. That's where our work comes in. We scoured through patents related to biobased monomers and polymers to get the scoop on the top companies and their strategies. Part of a bigger project called BIOMAC, funded by Horizon 2020, our research is all about pushing the boundaries of biobased materials. We used some clever tricks to make sure the data we collected was top-notch. Think of it like a treasure hunt where you only pick the best clues. Guess who's been super active in this area? China! They've been churning out patents like crazy in the past decade. It's like they've found a new goldmine, but instead of gold, it's eco-friendly materials. Our work doesn't just stop at finding out who's who. We also looked at how these materials are used in five major industries. This helps us see where there's room for improvement and how to make sure everyone plays fair with intellectual property.