NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, ITALY

Knowledge Institute

Contact

Michele Dondi
Via Granarolo 64
48018 Faenza

E: michele.dondi@istec.cnr.it
T: +39 054 669 97 28

Website: www.istec.cnr.it

WASTE RECYCLING IN TRADITIONAL CERAMICS

The National Research Council (CNR) is the largest public research organization in Italy. Founded 90 years ago, CNR employs nowadays more than 10,000 people, mostly researchers and technicians, in 108 institutes, 12 research parks and 7 multidisciplinary national departments, with an annual budget of approximately 1 billion euro, from both public and private funding.

The interdisciplinary research performed at the Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (ISTEC) deals with the study of traditional, structural, bio, and functional ceramic materials, starting from the synthesis, functionalization and processing of powders. ISTEC has strong international collaborations and, at present, is involved in many European and transnational programs, leading different FP7 projects. Industrial partnership is widely developed and encouraged (over 800,000 euro worth collaborative research contracts per year), and technology transfer is a priority (creation of spin-off companies).

ISTEC has a long-term expertise on waste recycling in traditional ceramics by assisting the industry in technological transfer and development of products and processes. Such activities entail clay bricks and roof tiles, floor and wall tiles, lightweight aggregates, ceramic pigments and glazes, as well as in cementitious materials, mortars and geopolymers.