GTU Scientists Are Developing Technology to Efficiently Recycle Polymer Waste, Turning Environmental Challenges Into Economic Opportunities
01-09-2025
Scientists of the Institute of Hydrometeorology of the Georgian Technical University, Natela Dzebisashvili and Darejan Dughashvili, are researching the processes of transforming polymer waste and the possibilities of obtaining new materials within the framework of the grant project “Obtaining new multifunctional materials through thermal treatment of polymer waste”.
The new material obtained as a result of thermal processing is distinguished by its versatile application, especially in the construction, energy, and electronics sectors. Accordingly, the primary goal of the research is to reduce plastic and other polymer waste and recycle it, thereby transforming the waste into a valuable and practically usable resource.
According to Mikheil Janikashvili, Head of the GTU Department of Science and Innovation, the project not only addresses pressing environmental issues but also enables the creation of an innovative product considered crucial to advancing the country’s economic diversification and industrial competitiveness.
“Research into obtaining new, multifunctional materials by thermal processing of polymer waste is a particularly relevant and necessary direction, which goals to provide a reasoned response to modern environmental and technological challenges. It is known that the large-scale growth of plastic and other polymer waste creates both an ecological and economic problem, the effective solution of which can only be achieved by using innovative and interdisciplinary approaches. The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that, as a result of the thermal conversion process, it is possible to reduce the volume of waste and, at the same time, obtain a new type of multifunctional material. Such materials, depending on their mechanical-physical and chemical properties, are potentially widely used in the construction industry, as well as in energy, electronics, and materials science. In addition, the transformation of waste into a valuable product fully complies with the principles of the circular economy, which is one of the main strategic priorities in modern economic policy,” says Mikheil Janikashvili.
According to the project coordinator, Natela Dzebisashvili, a senior researcher at the Institute of Hydrometeorology of the Georgian Technical University, the research is distinguished by its high practical utility and scientific value, and its results have real potential to become a source of both industrial application and new theoretical knowledge.
“The main goal of our research is to effectively recycle polymer waste through processes that are both environmentally safe and economically affordable. By optimizing the thermal treatment process, we obtain a new, multifunctional material that has broad application potential in the construction, energy, and electronics sectors. In addition, the use of CaO allows us to minimize the emission of harmful gases, which makes this research an environmentally important project. It is important that our approach is not just about neutralizing waste. The resulting material is a practically usable resource, which contributes to the creation of innovative products and the introduction of circular economy principles in Georgia. The research combines engineering, chemistry, and materials science and allows us to create a technology that can be internationally competitive,”states Natela Dzebisashvili.
From a scientific point of view, the research, “Obtaining new multifunctional materials through thermal treatment of polymer waste”, deserves special attention, as it contributes to the in-depth study of the mechanisms of thermal processes, the optimization of catalytic systems, and the discovery of structural characteristics of new materials. In addition, the results of the research will significantly supplement the existing knowledge base in the field of polymer waste processing, materials science, and environmentally oriented engineering. The implementation of the research is important not only for the national scientific space but also in the context of global cooperation.
The new material obtained as a result of thermal processing is distinguished by its versatile application, especially in the construction, energy, and electronics sectors. Accordingly, the primary goal of the research is to reduce plastic and other polymer waste and recycle it, thereby transforming the waste into a valuable and practically usable resource.
According to Mikheil Janikashvili, Head of the GTU Department of Science and Innovation, the project not only addresses pressing environmental issues but also enables the creation of an innovative product considered crucial to advancing the country’s economic diversification and industrial competitiveness.
“Research into obtaining new, multifunctional materials by thermal processing of polymer waste is a particularly relevant and necessary direction, which goals to provide a reasoned response to modern environmental and technological challenges. It is known that the large-scale growth of plastic and other polymer waste creates both an ecological and economic problem, the effective solution of which can only be achieved by using innovative and interdisciplinary approaches. The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that, as a result of the thermal conversion process, it is possible to reduce the volume of waste and, at the same time, obtain a new type of multifunctional material. Such materials, depending on their mechanical-physical and chemical properties, are potentially widely used in the construction industry, as well as in energy, electronics, and materials science. In addition, the transformation of waste into a valuable product fully complies with the principles of the circular economy, which is one of the main strategic priorities in modern economic policy,” says Mikheil Janikashvili.
According to the project coordinator, Natela Dzebisashvili, a senior researcher at the Institute of Hydrometeorology of the Georgian Technical University, the research is distinguished by its high practical utility and scientific value, and its results have real potential to become a source of both industrial application and new theoretical knowledge.
“The main goal of our research is to effectively recycle polymer waste through processes that are both environmentally safe and economically affordable. By optimizing the thermal treatment process, we obtain a new, multifunctional material that has broad application potential in the construction, energy, and electronics sectors. In addition, the use of CaO allows us to minimize the emission of harmful gases, which makes this research an environmentally important project. It is important that our approach is not just about neutralizing waste. The resulting material is a practically usable resource, which contributes to the creation of innovative products and the introduction of circular economy principles in Georgia. The research combines engineering, chemistry, and materials science and allows us to create a technology that can be internationally competitive,”states Natela Dzebisashvili.
From a scientific point of view, the research, “Obtaining new multifunctional materials through thermal treatment of polymer waste”, deserves special attention, as it contributes to the in-depth study of the mechanisms of thermal processes, the optimization of catalytic systems, and the discovery of structural characteristics of new materials. In addition, the results of the research will significantly supplement the existing knowledge base in the field of polymer waste processing, materials science, and environmentally oriented engineering. The implementation of the research is important not only for the national scientific space but also in the context of global cooperation.
