CIRC-STRIP – Development of a Multi-Purpose Biodegradable Tying Device

The CIRC-STRIP project concept originates from Galipoglu Panel Çit Tel Örgü İth. İhr. Paz. San. Tic. Ltd. Şti. (Galipoglu Ltd.)’s direct business need and a product-development idea arising from the sector. Galipoğlu has direct industrial experience in manufacturing and marketing PVC-coated steel-wire tying elements used in agricultural and packaging applications.

The main advantage of conventional products is their easy manual bending and ability to retain the imposed shape due to the internal wire. However, the metal-plastic hybrid structure is difficult to separate after use, while weathering of the PVC coating may contribute to persistent plastic particles and microplastic residues.

The project will investigate the development of a multi-purpose biodegradable tying device that preserves the essential function of the conventional product while avoiding PVC and a metal-wire core. The new device is intended to be easily bent and shaped by hand, without an additional mechanical locking mechanism, and to retain the imposed shape throughout the required service period.

The R&D approach will investigate multi-component biodegradable polyester-based polymer systems together with functional boron-containing additives and mineral fillers. Research will integrate controlled compounding, material characterization, rheology, viscoelastic CFD, profile/die engineering, force-angle hysteresis, time-dependent shape retention, creep/stress relaxation and accelerated aging.

The device is intended to retain its required function during service and subsequently enter a long-term biodegradation pathway after use. Complete biodegradation under real soil conditions may extend beyond the project duration. Long-term biodegradation and the potential beneficial contribution of suitable mineral/micronutrient constituents to soil will therefore be supported by relevant literature.

Galipoglu Ltd. is the industrial originator of the project concept and product-development need. Academic, R&D and transnational collaboration will be structured according to the project’s scientific, technical, validation and scale-up requirements.

We seek transnational partners with complementary expertise in biodegradable polymers/composites, compounding, rheology, extrusion and scale-up, profile/die engineering, biodegradation and independent environmental validation.

Consortium coordination can be discussed according to partner experience and eligibility.

Galipoglu Panel Çit Tel Örgü İth. İhr. Paz. San. Tic. Ltd. Şti. (Galipoglu Ltd.) is a Turkish SME with industrial experience in the manufacture and marketing of tying products used in agricultural and packaging applications. The company has direct knowledge of conventional PVC-coated steel-wire tying products, their production requirements, user expectations and market conditions.

CIRC-STRIP originates from Galipoglu Ltd.’s own production and market experience and from a direct industrial product-development need. The company aims to move beyond conventional products by developing original and differentiated products, processes and company-owned technical know-how through R&D, university-industry cooperation and transnational collaboration.

Within CIRC-STRIP, Galipoglu Ltd. will contribute the industrial need, knowledge of existing products and applications, product-development requirements, prototyping and industrialization perspective, and the route towards future commercialization. The company is seeking complementary academic, R&D and industrial partners to support scientific validation, advanced material development, process scale-up and independent verification of the new biodegradable tying-device concept.