ATB at Polymers 2024—Polymers for a Safe and Sustainable Future

Dr. Joachim Venus and Dr. Agata Olszewska-Widdrat (Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy – ATB Potsdam) will participate in the conference Polymers 2024 in Athens. Join their talks:
28.05.2024 at 18:05-18:35: Bioconversion of lignocellulosic hydrolysates into lactic acid (Dr. Joachim Venus)
29.05.2024 at 18:00-18:15: Bioprocess optimization for succinic acid production from lignocellulosic biomass (Dr. Agata Olszewska-Widdrat)

Welcome words from the Chairs

Dear colleagues and friends,

We are very proud and honored to announce the international conference Polymers 2024—Polymers for a Safe and Sustainable Future, organized in collaboration with the MDPI open access journal Polymers, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and BIOMAC project, and Exelisis Co. The conference will be held in Athens, Greece, on May 28–31, 2024, at the prestigious War Museum in Athens.

Global mass production of synthetic plastics started in the 1950s, with an estimated total number of 8.3 to 9.1 million metric tons (Mt) already manufactured, evidence that polymers have made an outstanding contribution to the development of modern society in every field. From this amount, it is estimated that only 9% has been recycled and 12% incinerated, whereas the remaining 79% has now accumulated in landfills, rivers, lakes, and the open sea. However, the high stability and non-degradability of synthetic polymers have caused serious environmental issues to living organisms, evident with “Microplastics”, which have been recognized as one of the most threatening contemporary problems. Except for polymers, many of today’s used additives (plasticizers, flame retardants, stabilizers, etc.) exhibit some toxicity and have negative impacts on human health. Due to these concerns, recent research efforts of the polymer scientific community have been focused on producing environmentally friendly, safe, and non-toxic polymers and additives that could be fully recycled or completely degradable shortly after their use. Nevertheless, the substitution of conventional polymers with newly designed polymer systems, which have similar properties to the former, poses a challenge to polymer scientists and manufacturers.

The transition to climate neutrality and zero-pollution ambitions requires new polymers to be produced by employing green chemistry and engineering, sustainable chemistry, and circularity-by-design. For the fabrication of such polymers, several parameters, such as hazard assessment of the used chemicals/monomers, the human health and safety aspects in the chemical/material production and processing phase, the human health and environmental aspects in the final application phase, and finally the environmental sustainability assessment, should all be taken into account.

“Polymers 2024” is an international conference covering the latest progress and innovations in the fields of polymers for the production of new materials and additives for a safe and sustainable world. The conference aims to explore the latest findings in the scientific field of polymers, with a particular emphasis on the synthesis of safe polymers with unique properties for human health and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the goal is to focus on green polymer chemistry and industrial approaches using bioresources to synthesize biobased and biodegradable polymers, in addition to exploring safe and sustainable-by-design polymers using modeling, theory, and simulation and simultaneously investigating their chemical and physical properties for different applications. Clean, green, and efficient production processes will be presented, while life cycle assessments, exposure, risk assessment, decontamination, and environmental remediation will also be discussed. The conference also aims to propose novel techniques for polymer recycling and reuse. Such an event is a unique opportunity for polymer scientists from around the world to present their works, findings, and innovations in polymer chemistry and technology with regard to sustainable development and with great respect to human life and the environment.

The conference follows the previous successful meetings of Polymers 2018—Polymers: Design, Function and Application held in March 2018, Barcelona, Spain, and Polymers 2022: New Trends in Polymer Science: Health of the Planet, Health of the People held in May 2022 in Turin, Italy.

We look forward to welcoming you to Athens!

Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris, Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Triantafyllidis, and Dr. Ioanna Deligkiozi
Polymers 2024 Chairs

Program
Speakers
Registration

POLYMERS 2024 satellite event

BIOMAC Stakeholder engagement workshop
«Bridging Innovation, Funding, and Collaboration in Greece»

As part of the BIOMAC project’s stakeholder engagement initiative, we are thrilled to announce a satellite event in Greece, coinciding with the prestigious POLYMERS 2024 conference. This event serves as a unique opportunity for stakeholders in Greece, particularly SMEs, to connect with the cutting-edge advancements of the BIOMAC Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) and explore avenues for collaboration.

Hosted by EXELISIS IKE, RDC Informatics, and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, all core partners of the BIOMAC project, this satellite event aims to showcase the transformative impact of open innovation in the realm of biomaterials. Attendees will have the chance to delve into the capabilities of the BIOMAC OITB for research, development, testing, and validation of innovative concepts.

The event will feature dedicated sessions where interested stakeholders, especially SMEs, will learn about exploiting BIOMAC’s services, clarifying pathways for collaboration and accessing the OITB’s resources effectively. Moreover, our agenda includes insightful presentations from industry experts and key enabling organisations, shedding light on funding mechanisms and technology transfer opportunities. With a special focus on the „Research – Innovate“ programme and other funding instruments, participants will gain valuable insights into leveraging diverse funding sources to drive impactful innovation.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to network, collaborate, and explore the boundless potential of open innovation in Greece.
Register now for free to secure your spot at this dynamic event: https://grevent.biomac-oitb.eu/
*The event will be held in Greek language.

The group of Dr. Joachim Venus at ATB Potsdam is a Bio-PAT member.

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