Afbeelding
Vincent Voet is excited about being named a "rising star," he announced. The research to which he owes the selection is about the circularity of plastics, with in particular the recycling of 3D-printed plastics. "Plastics are ubiquitous in our society. They help keep us healthy, mobile, safe and warm with their application in healthcare, transportation, food packaging and energy.
But plastics don't just have benefits, Vincent explains. "Global production of plastics increased to 367 million tons per year, equivalent to as many as 7,000 Titanic ships by weight. Currently, only 14 percent of plastic waste is recycled. The rest is burned for energy recovery, dumped in landfills or ends up in nature. This leads to high greenhouse gas emissions and accumulation of plastics in our ecosystem: a global problem."
Plastics as part of a circular economy
To give all that plastic waste a new purpose, Vincent is researching the use of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. Vincent: "3D printing is a relatively new production technique, where products are built layer by layer based on a digital model. This technology brings advantages, such as the ability to produce complex structures and reduce production waste. Unfortunately, the materials used are often not yet sustainable or not sustainable enough. In my research group, we are looking at the reuse of 3D printed materials that are difficult to recycle and until now have ended up in the trash. That brings us one step closer to a circular plastics economy."
Innovative professionals
At NHL Stenden, intensive research is being done on circular plastics, or circular plastics. Researchers, teachers and students work on social issues with industry and government, with technical students participating at various levels, for example during a specialization or an internship. With experts such as Vincent and other researchers, the college is committed to training innovative professionals with a strong profile in the field of circular plastics.
About ACS Materials
The list of the 17 "rising stars" was compiled by ACS Materials (American Chemical Society). This is a leading American journal for international publications of high-quality research on applied materials research and the interface between materials and other disciplines, such as chemistry, engineering and biology.
