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The coordinator of the project, Pr. Dimitrios Bikiaris, introduced the REDONDO project with a concise overview of the project and then the WP and Task leaders presented the work performed in the first 18 months of the project. In WP1, the coordination and management WP, led by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), focus was given on the tools set up to facilitate the management of the project and the deliverables and milestones submitted/achieved. In WP2, led by SILON, the requirements and specifications of the raw rPEX material, the pipes and cables that will be produced with rPEX were defined and the process to define recyclability-by-design criteria and recycling scenarios were presented. More technical discussions started with WP3, led by AUTH, where both leading partners presented their results regarding the synthesis of rPEX. Animated discussions took place in the framework of WP4, led by CNANO. In this WP, the targeted biobased nano-additives have been synthesised, and several chemical modifications have also been performed, composite materials with these additives were prepared and their properties evaluated. Among those, good antioxidant properties must be cited, as well as some promising results with flame-retardancy. Moving on to WP5, led by SILON, benchmark materials (LDPE and HDPE) and two different lignin-based additives supplied by CNANO were used to assess the processes that will be used and establish protocols and best practices; these will be further extended to the REDONDO materials and cellulose-based additives in the coming months. Additionally, SILON, KBE and Interplast presented their roles and tasks in the context of WP5, that will start later. The methodology that will be applied to define safe-by-design criteria was presented within the context of WP6, led by ITENE. The ranking system was illustrated by an example with lignin modification and the different chemicals employed in these processes. Finally, the methods for the experimental assessment of the safety aspects of the project waw presented. WP7, led by ISQ, is the work package dedicated to sustainability. Ιn this context, preliminary results from LCA and socio-economical analysis regarding the production of bio-based additives, the methodology to define sustainability criteria, the progress with the additives inventory and the objectives of the Place-me tool were presented. Finally, the activities of WP8, led by AXIA, were presented. In more details, the Task 8.1 and 8.2 presentation included the dissemination and communication plan, the REDONDO website (design principle and analytics), the partner’s collaboration platform (partners area) and its potential as well as the open innovation environment, the data management plan, the social media pages of the project and some analytics, the dissemination material that has been designed and the events in which REDONDO has been presented. Finally, work carried out within Tasks 8.3 and 8.4 was reported: the definition of the key exploitable results (KER), the market analysis, the SWOT and PESTLE analysis performed for each KER group, the business model canvas carried out for the SMEs and SILON, and finally the risk analysis.

The discussion developed within the consortium were fruitful and the feedback from the PO and the external evaluator regarding this first reporting period was very positive. Constructive suggestions were made that will be soon implemented. The project is on track, with a lot of developments to come in the next few months.

We are looking forward to the next consortium meeting in September 2024 that will be hosted by CNRS partner at Montpellier. The consortium meeting will be combined with a workshop on reversibility, with interesting talks to be further announced!

Figure 1: REDONDO’s M18 Meeting attendees

Starting from WP1, presented by the coordinating partner, focus was given on the review meeting and the technical and financial reports that will have to be submitted at M18. In WP2, the submitted deliverable was presented as well as the updates that will be included in the next one. More technical discussions started with WP3, where both leading partners presented their first results regarding the synthesis of rPEX. Animated discussions took place in the framework of WP4, where not only targeted biobased nano-additives have been synthesised, but the first composite materials with these additives have already been prepared. The properties of the various composite materials were discussed, with SILON presenting the first results on flame retardancy which were much expected. Moving on to WP5, benchmark materials and processes were assessed and used for initial trials to establish protocols and best practices; these will be further extended to the REDONDO materials and additives in the coming months. The methodologies that will be applied to implement the safety aspects of the project were presented within the context of WP6. WP7 is the work package dedicated to sustainability and the different approaches that will be considered within the project were developed by each partner participating in it. Finally, the consortium meeting ended with the activities of WP8 and the presentation of the dissemination channels of the project, the Zenodo open access environment and how the datasets generated during the project will be uploaded there, the initial business plans and the SWOT analyses performed for the industrial partners of the project, and the results obtained from questionnaires regarding IP management.

Special mention was made by several partners to the synergies and collaborations that are being developed with the sister projects, i.e., the projects SURPASS, ESTELLA and REPURPOSE that were successful in the same Horizon call as REDONDO. A common workshop on the concept of safety and sustainability by design is being scheduled for the 19th of October, while the additives inventory has been identified as another common ground for potential collaboration between the four projects.

We are already looking forward to the next consortium meeting in 2024 that will be hosted by SILON and will be the opportunity to present to the EC the progress of the project and discuss any issues faced by the consortium.

Figure 1: REDONDO’s M12 Meeting attendees

PE is a thermoplastic polymer, which in layman’s terms means that it can be melted and processed. To improve its properties, PE is chemically cross-linked. During cross-linking, new intra-chain bonds are formed between the linear chains of PE, linking the chains together in a network. Compared to PE, cross-linked PE (PEX) exhibits higher thermal stability, better chemical resistance and improved structural integrity. However, due to the existence of cross-links, PEX cannot be melted and recycled/reused, and it is generally downcycled as a filler in other composite materials.

REDONDO aims to achieve a fully reversible cross-linking process, that will enable the synthesis of a reversibly cross-linked polyethylene (rPEX), that will be inherently recyclable and thus sustainable-by-design. Additionally, innovative biobased & green additives, such as nanolignin and nanocellulose, will be used to confer to rPEX novel/improved properties. The successful synthesis of rPEX will be demonstrated in two applications: pipes and cables for photovoltaic applications. Furthermore, safe- and sustainable-by-design concepts will be adopted. Indeed, the sustainability and safety of the newly developed rPEX materials are very important and will be assessed throughout the project, from the design phase, to the rPEX formulation and the final products. Finally, REDONDO pioneers with a provision of a circular monitoring tool, PLACE-me, integrating principles of safety- and sustainability-by-design (SSbD) along with a holistic value chain assessment.

Figure 1: REDONDO’s Concept

REDONDO is funded by the European Union’s Horizon research and innovation program. The project is coordinated by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece. Highly skilled scientists, across the whole value chain, from the design of the polymeric materials to the end-users, with complementary expertise have joined their efforts in this project. The consortium is composed of 11 partners from 6 different European countries and involves academic and research institutions, SME’s as well as a large enterprise.

The kick-off meeting (KoM) took place in Thessaloniki (Greece) in September 2023. It was held at Aristotle University Research and Dissemination Center (KEDEA) and was attended by partners from the whole consortium. Each partner presented their tasks, milestones, and deliverables in the project. Technical elements of the projects were discussed, as well as how the different tasks and work packages would be efficiently coordinated. The partners had fruitful exchanges and everyone looked forward to the next face-to-face actions of the project.

Figure 2: REDONDO’s KoM attendees