Innovative Polyolefin Recycling Research Receives NWO Grant

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded a significant grant to Professor Patrizio Raffa from the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen. This funding, part of the CPNL Incubator programme supported by the National Growth Fund (Nationaal Groeifonds), aims to advance groundbreaking research in polyolefin recycling. The project developed by Professor Raffa, Dr Daniele Parisi and Professor Rob Duchateau, titled "Self-assembling Polyolefin Network Materials," is one of ten pioneering initiatives selected to drive the transition towards circular plastics through technical innovations. With a total budget of approximately 580,000 euros, including a 60,000 euro in-kind contribution from SABIC, the project aims to develop a novel approach for producing polyolefin materials with versatile and tunable properties that are more easily processable and recyclable than conventional polyolefins.

Research
Polyolefins, which account for over 60% of the polymer market and have the lowest lifecycle environmental impact among polymers, are integral to everyday products, particularly in packaging and consumer goods. However, the vast and growing quantities of polyolefin waste pose a significant recycling challenge. Despite increased efforts to channel these materials into recycling streams, their inherent characteristics make recycling difficult.

Professor Raffa's team has proposed a conceptually novel approach to producing polyolefinic materials. These innovative materials will feature versatile and tunable properties, enhancing processability and recyclability far beyond the capabilities of current polyolefins. Professor Raffa will lead the project, leveraging his expertise in polymer recycling and amphiphilic polymeric systems. Dr. Parisi will oversee an innovative rheological investigation of these materials, while processing, recycling, and application development tests will be conducted at SABIC under the supervision of Professor Duchateau. These efforts will include rigorous comparisons with commercial polyolefins.

National Growth Fund’s Circular Plastics NL (CPNL) Programme
The "Making Plastics Circular: Technical Innovations" call is part of the National Growth Fund’s Circular Plastics NL programme. The Netherlands aims to recycle 50% of all plastics by 2030 and achieve a fully circular plastics chain by 2050. The CPNL programme, spanning eight years, comprises eight programme lines that address key challenges in closing plastic cycles. These initiatives not only promise sustainable growth opportunities for the Dutch economy but also utilize subsidies to accelerate the transition towards a circular plastics economy.

For more information see: https://www.nwo.nl/en/news/ten-projects-awarded-to-make-plastics-circular