The Industrial Chemistry and Materials Science group, at the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering at Pisa University is directly involved in PROLIFIC project activities.  DICI was established in 2012, and employs today about 30 researchers and 10 technicians.

The institute research covers a wide variety of Materials Science aspects: characterization and development of materials, polymer processing, design and modelling of mechanical properties. The research activity is carried out in the DICI-UNIPI laboratories by employing advanced scientific instruments in collaboration with a variety of both national and international academic and private institutions.

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UNIPI is very skilled in projecting polymers blends composition (additives selection, processing conditions) in order to tune properties of materials including biodegradability, morphology, thermal and mechanical properties as attested by papers, patent, and participation in European, National and regional projects but also by the direct cooperation with industries to bring, e.g., their patented results to the market. UNIPI staff has experience in test of compost, and biodegradability in soil and marine water, as well as reactive extrusion, copolymerization, selection of plasticizers, nucleating agents, and compatibilization of natural fibres with polymeric matrices. UNIPI staff is also expert in studying and quantifying the crystalline and amorphous fractions of a material, whose ratio affects biodegradability many physical properties, as barrier, mechanical, thermal, aging, adhesion, and, consequently, the final performance of a material.

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