Program

Invited conferences :

Sylvain Caillol, Institut Charles Gehrardt Montpellier

From Natural Phenols to Circular Polymers: A Platform Strategy for Sustainable Functional Materials

Cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) is a unique, non-edible, phenolic lipid derived from agricultural waste, offering an exceptional combination of aromaticity, functionality, and intrinsic reactivity. CNSL represents a highly versatile molecular platform for the sustainable design of next-generation polymeric materials. Beyond CNSL, other naturally occurring phenolic compounds—such as lignin-derived phenols —represent a rich and largely untapped source of bio-based building blocks for polymers.In our work, we have developed a platform-based functionalization strategy to transform CNSL and other natural phenols into monomers suitable for the synthesis of a wide range of polymers, including polyurethanes, phenolics, epoxy resins, alkyds, and poly(meth)acrylates.This approach enables the rational design of materials with tunable thermal, mechanical, and interfacial properties, while maintaining a high bio-based carbon content. Beyond polymer synthesis, these intermediates offer compelling opportunities to substitute toxic or petroleum-based components traditionally used in polymer formulations, such as bisphenols, aromatic amines, and plasticizers. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of CNSL derivatives as safer, renewable alternatives aligned with regulatory and health constraints. Finally, we recently highlighted emerging applications of CNSL-based compounds as recycling and reprocessing agents for end-of-life polymeric materials, contributing to material circularity. By combining bio-based synthesis, functional performance, and end-of-life considerations, this work illustrates how CNSL can serve as a cornerstone of a circular and sustainable polymer design framework.

Biography: Sylvain Caillol is Research Director at CNRS. He graduated engineer from the National Graduate School of Chemistry of Montpellier in 1998 and received his M. Sc. Degree in Chemistry from the University of Montpellier. He received his PhD degree in 2001 from the University of Bordeaux. Subsequently he joined Rhodia Company. Later, promoted Department Manager, he headed the Polymer Research Department in the Research Center of Aubervilliers. In 2007 he joined the CNRS at the Institute Charles Gerhardt, University of Montpellier where he started a new research topic dedicated to Green Chemistry and Biobased Polymers. He is co-author of more than 200 articles, patents and book chapters. He won the Green Materials Prize in 2018 and 2020 and was nominated Pioneering Investigator by the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2019. He is Editor-in-Chief of Green Materials (ICE).

Coralie Jehanno, CSO and co-founder of Polykey Polymers S.L

How can we transfer recycling technologies from lab to market? 

Polykey Polymers S.L. is a Spanish start-up which have arisen from the POLYMAT Basque Excellency Research Centre in San Sebastian in 2020 with the objective of contributing to the future of the polymer industry with a strategic vision and commitment to innovation and sustainability. The company emerged as a polymer producer and R&D service provider acting in three areas
established as objectives for a transition to a sustainable future: (1) the synthesis of bio-based polymers, (2) the selective chemical recycling of commodity plastics and (3) the synthesis of innovative materials for next generation batteries, organic solar devices, or advanced bioelectronics. To address the current challenges of the polymer chemistry industry, POLYKEY
offers its collaborators and clients a portfolio of cutting-edge technologies and a diverse catalogue of high-performance products tailored to each of these three important areas. After an introduction about the company and a summary of the recent accomplishments and future challenges, the presentation will focus on the scaling up and entrance into the market of the different technologies developed at POLYKEY and notably the chemical recycling of polyester at low temperature.
How can we successfully transfer a chemical reaction from the beakers of an academic laboratory to the realities of industrial production? How do you build a company capable of delivering a positive impact on both the environment and society? And how can a small startup scale its operations to a level that earns credibility in a market dominated by established giants? After almost 6 years of experience in technology transfer, process development and sustainable innovation, this presentation aims to share what we have learned as a small, ambitious player striving to reshape the polymer industry from within.

Biography: Coralie received her PhD in Polymer Chemistry in 2019 from at University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in co-tutelle with the University of Warwick (UK). Her doctoral work was focused on the recycling of plastic wastes for which she received the Accesit Prize as best thesis in polymer chemistry from the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ). After her PhD, she has combined an academic career as a post-doctoral fellow in the research group of Prof. Haritz Sardón with the entrepreneur adventure while founding the start-up company POLYKEY focused on the promotion of sustainable plastics. As scientific director of POLYKEY, her daily work includes the establishment of a business strategy, the management of projects, the transfer of technology and the supervision of 6 employees. In almost 6 years, the company has attracted more than 200 clients and collaborators, over 4 M€ in fundings and won 5 prizes.

Her strong expertise in plastic recycling and sustainable polymers has led to 2 patents and more than 25 articles in top journals which cumulate over 3000 citations. She received in 2024 the prize for the best postdoctoral fellow from the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ). She co-supervised 3 successful PhD thesis and is currently co-supervising 3 PhD students. Coralie has been personally involved in various outreach activities for disseminating Science which includes local weeks of Science, the participation to the event “Pint of Science”, or the participation to events promoting the careers of women in Science.

Polykey Polymers S.L. is a company that arose in 2020 with the objective of developing technologies and products for a more sustainable polymer industry.