Recovering and recycling critical raw materials (CRM), so valuable and essential today for the production of technological products and applications; enhancing the safety and quality of recycled plastic materials; increasing agricultural production with natural biostimulants instead of chemicals; and producing clean energy through organic solar cells or green hydrogen are just some examples of the new research being conducted by AIMPLAS, the Technological Institute of Plastics, to address the challenges facing our society.

AIMPLAS is making progress in these research areas with twelve new projects, funded by the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), which it will develop in collaboration with 24 companies until the middle of next year. These research projects aim to further contribute to the circular economy in sectors such as fishing and electrical/electronics, to the energy transition, to sustainable mobility and industry, as well as to the protection of the natural, agricultural, and marine environment.

Specifically, in the area of ​​circular economy and recycling, the technology center is carrying out the INNORAP, which aims to develop a pilot system for managing textile and fishing net waste in the Valencian Community. This system would be based on the application of Extended Producer Responsibility, establishing the roles, competencies, and responsibilities of each stakeholder, as is already the case with other types of waste streams, such as packaging, pharmaceuticals, and used industrial oils.

The RECRITIC project , for its part, emphasizes the importance of recovering Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), the critical raw materials identified by the European Commission due to their high economic importance, scarcity, and strategic relevance, as they are essential for the production of technological products and applications. The project also addresses obtaining recycled plastic from complex waste, primarily from electrical and electronic equipment, in which these materials are present, through mechanical, chemical, and biological processes.
Applying cleaner, solvent-free techniques to convert lignocellulosic waste (from agriculture, agro-industry, forestry, etc.) into new sustainable products such as cellulose capsules (with applications in the pharmaceutical sector, packaging, etc.) or adhesives is the objective of the FUSTARISE project , which aims to create a circular economy. This project will utilize mechanochemical and mechanoenzymatic techniques for the efficient and sustainable recovery of lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose contained in these waste materials to obtain bio- and eco-sustainable alternatives, reducing environmental impact and with broad applicability across various industrial sectors (cosmetics, packaging, pharmaceuticals, adhesives, etc.).
Reducing the environmental impact, in this case of the cement industry, is the objective of the CUCO2 project , which AIMPLAS is developing in collaboration with the Institute of Ceramic Technology (ITC-AICE). This research aims to validate CO2 capture technologies for industrial application, building upon the results obtained in the CAPTURO2 project, which analyzed the characteristics of gas streams. This project marks the beginning of this line of development focused on the design, construction, and industrial validation of a hybrid CO2 capture system.

Commitment to Sustainable Energy
: In the energy sector, with the PEROVSOL, AIMPLAS is focusing on the research and development of next-generation organic solar cells based on perovskites. These cells are manufactured using conventional printing technologies, which reduces production costs and allows for potential large-scale commercialization. Perovskites are a good alternative to the silicon currently used; they are less polluting and require less energy to produce.

On the other hand, with H2MAP, the technology center is addressing hydrogen generation and transport from an innovative perspective, using catalysts and polymeric materials with an industrial focus, as well as processes that are less energy-intensive than those currently used. Thanks to the project's implementation, innovative knowledge will be generated in the area of ​​sustainable energy generation, as well as its transport and distribution.