Picchioni, Prof. Francesco

Francesco Picchioni is Professor of Chemical Product Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He conducts research into new technologies for reusing polymers— the long molecules that make up plastics.
Picchioni was responsible for a breakthrough in rubber recycling. The polymers in rubber are linked together to form a kind of molecular network. It seemed impossible to break this network apart without damaging the polymers. This results in shorter polymers, which can only be used to make lower-quality rubber. Picchioni found a way to bind the shorter polymers together in a way that allows for the production of new rubber of normal quality. This technology makes it possible to reuse the rubber from car tyres in the production of various products. Thanks to this research, these tyres are no longer labelled as waste, but can be considered raw materials for other products. The New Born Rubber company uses this patented method to make new rubber for products such as flip-flops and foldable bicycle baskets. For his project ‘Rubber Recycling’, Picchioni won the Ben Feringa Impact Award 2025.
Picchioni is also involved in projects that investigate the reuse of products made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and polypropylene. Polypropylene and PVC account for roughly 42% of all plastics produced. If we do not reuse them, large quantities end up in a landfill and cause significant environmental problems.
Previously in the news
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€3.8 million for supercritical CO2 (in Dutch)
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Last modified: | 15 May 2025 11.04 a.m. |