Sustainable processes and materials characterization

The research activities of the group are focussed to develop and implement cleaner technologies in order to attain a more environmentally friendly leather industry and to study and develop end-of-pipe approaches to eliminate the main pollutants present in tannery waste waters in an attempt to reduce the contamination produced and improve processes towards environmental sustainability. The influence of novel more sustainable industrial processing on the structure and properties of leather and other fibrous materials are also taken into account. Consequently the group is focussed on the study of structure-property relationships of natural, synthetic and sustainable fibrous materials, particularly with regard to thermal, mechanical, viscoelastic and relaxation behaviour.