SG Bio-SPRINT Sustainable Specialty Polymers Programme 2026

Programme and funding

SG Bio-SPRINT—the Singapore Platform for Bio-derived Specialty Polymers Research, INnovation and Translation—is a five-year research programme led by NUS researchers with A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering. NUS said the programme received a S$22 million grant under Singapore's Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 masterplan and was announced on 17 August 2026. (NUS, 17 August 2026, accessed 5 September 2026.)

Biomass and target materials

The programme will use lignocellulosic biomass—renewable plant dry matter commonly produced as agricultural and forestry residue—as an alternative carbon source to petrochemicals. Its research targets bio-derived “drop-in” monomers that are structurally identical to fossil-derived equivalents, with intended applications in adhesives, specialty coatings and electronics. The drop-in approach is intended to ease integration into existing polymer production systems; it does not mean commercial adoption or cost competitiveness has already been demonstrated. (NUS, 17 August 2026, accessed 5 September 2026.)

Workgroups and translation boundary

SG Bio-SPRINT is organised around three connected workgroups: biomass-to-monomer pathways; performance validation against conventional materials; and digital, economic and sustainability support using AI, molecular modelling, techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment. NUS describes the work as research and translation toward future deployment, including industry collaboration and intellectual-property development, not as a completed manufacturing process or guaranteed replacement for petrochemical polymers. (NUS, 17 August 2026, accessed 5 September 2026.)