Thermo Fisher Scientific WEBINAR SERIES: Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste

From regulatory requirements to analytical technical solutions in material development with pre- and post-consumer plastic waste, learn how inline methods, rheology, and extrusion streamline R&D processes for faster and more sustainable product development.

Modern plastics, used in packaging, automotive, textile, and other applications, often contain complex chemical mixtures, posing significant recycling challenges. This 5-part webinar series introduces advancements in science to create efficient recycling methods for separating and processing these materials.

Who should attend this webinar series?

• Researchers and scientists from industry and academia who are involved in polymer/biopolymer material and product development.

Key learning objectives:

• Understanding Material Development: Learn about the latest advancements in developing new materials from recycled plastics.
• Innovative Methods: Discover the benefits of small-scale extrusion, rheology, and real-time online analytical methods, such as spectroscopy, in plastic recycling.
• Networking Opportunities: Discuss with experts and pose your questions during the Q&A session.
• Regulatory and Standardization Knowledge: Stay informed about the latest regulations and standards affecting plastic recycling practices. 

Upcoming Webinars:

Webinar 3: Mechanical Recycling Meets Innovation: Real-Time Analysis in the Extrusion Process

• May 20, 2025, 4:00 PM 30 minutes

Felix Mehrens and Niklas Rode will present inline monitoring in extrusion using Raman spectroscopy, a real-time method for optimizing recyclate quality. Unlike traditional random sampling, this approach enables continuous monitoring and process adjustments for improved reliability.

Mehrens and Rode are PhD students and research associates at the IKK, Leibniz University Hannover. Mehrens specializes in recycling and inline analysis methods, while Rode focuses on chemometric analysis in plastics recycling. Both hold master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Leibniz University Hannover.

Webinar 4: Studying Mechanical Marine Plastic Waste Recycling Using Twin-Scale Extrusion and Injection Molding

• May 27, 2025, 4:00 PM 30 minutes

Dr. Annika Völp will present a webinar on using twin-scale extrusion and injection molding to process polymer blends and marine plastic waste into reusable materials. The session will cover the thermal stability, calorimetric properties, surface morphology, and mechanical characteristics of recycled blends compared to virgin polymers, highlighting their potential for circular economy efforts.

Dr. Völp is an Application Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, specializing in polymer extrusion and battery material compounding. She holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from KIT, where she studied foam structure and rheology, and a graduate degree in bioengineering.

Webinar 5: Hybrid Chemical Mechanical In-Melt Separation of PE/PET Blends: A First Step Towards Recycling at Scale of Mixed Plastic Waste

• Jun 3, 2025, 4:00 PM 30 minutes

Professor João Maia will present a novel hybrid chemical-mechanical approach using reactive extrusion to enable large-scale recycling of multilayer, multicomponent plastic packaging, which is currently a major challenge. Initial industrial pilot tests show up to 90% phase separation, offering a potential pathway for future recycling solutions.

Prof. Maia is a professor of macromolecular science and engineering at Case Western Reserve University and is the director of the Center for Advanced Polymer Processing (CAPP). He holds a PhD in Rheology from the University of Wales Aberystwyth and has an extensive background in polymer processing research.

On-demand Webinars

Webinar 1: Differences in the Recycling of Pre- and Post-Consumer Plastic Waste from a Standardisation Perspective

• May 6, 2025, 4:00 PM 30 minutes

Dr. Madina Shamsuyeva will present the classification of input streams for post-consumer recycled (PCR) and post-industrial recycled (PIR) materials, a key focus of European standardization efforts in plastic recycling. Her presentation will provide a technical perspective on the classification approach and ongoing debates in the field. As Head of the Department of Plastics Technology, Recycling, and Plastics Analytics at the IKK—Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy, Leibniz University Hannover, Dr. Shamsuyeva specializes in polymer analytics, plastic recycling standardization, and fiber surface treatment, with a research focus on thermoplastic and textile recycling.

Webinar 2: Fundamentals of Polymer Rheology

• May 13, 2025, 4:00 PM 30 minutes

Dr. Ophélie Ranquet's presentation will examine flow behavior using different types of materials as examples. She will discuss key rheological techniques, the impact of molecular weight on viscosity, and implications for polymer processing and recycling.

Dr. Ranquet, Head of Calorimetry & Rheology at Evonik, specializes in high-performance polymers. She holds a PhD from KIT, where she studied the rheology of artistic paints, and a master’s in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from ENSCL, France.