YCN representative - Portugal

Inês Vilarinho

YCN representative for the Portuguese Ceramic Society

CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials

inessvilarinho@ua.pt

I am currently a postdoc researcher at CICECO (Aveiro Institute of Materials), University of Aveiro, Portugal, working in the sustainable research group within the project LIFE-EGGShelleCe. I have a MSc degree in Chemical/Process Engineering from Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal and a PhD in Refining, Petrochemical and Chemical Engineering from University of Coimbra, Portugal (2019).

My master dissertation was done at Unilever R&D, UK, where I stayed for almost 2 years. I actively worked on the research for alternative refrigeration technologies, supported by both modelling and laboratory trials, and on product design/development for a new generation of insulation materials for ice cream cabinets. This was my first contact with materials science and sustainable development. With the aim of pursuing further R&D activities I was funded for a PhD Studentships in Industry with Bondalti Chemicals (bondalti.com). My PhD degree was approved with praise and distinction with the title: Abatement of NOx emissions in nitric acid plant in transient regimes, where I developed a mathematical model for the absorption column. The model’s output was extremely important once I propose several guidelines to reduce NOx emissions during transient regimes.

In 2019, I started to work at CICECO. My main work is the development of new and more sustainable materials, more specifically, ceramic, one-part geopolymer and biodegradable plastic materials along with valorization/immobilization of industrial wastes. We introduce changes into the material’s manufacturing process (i.e. temperature; alternative sintering such as electric field assisted - FLASH) and/or exploit the incorporation of industrial wastes, with the aim of keeping or improving the materials technical properties.

I am member of Portuguese chemistry, materials and ceramic and glass societies (SPQ, SPM and SPCV) being part of the Young Ceramists Network (YCN) since 2020. In 2020 I attended two intensive programmes (HitechOne and Two) aimed at developing a value proposition and a business case. Herein, with my team, we proved the outstanding potential of FLASH sintering (FS) and, as a reward, we were one of the finalists of the Portugal Everis awards.

I am a very active and proactive person and I consider myself committed and dedicated. My research moto in the Materials field is the continuous search for outcomes that are not only scientifically relevant but will also significantly impact both the society and the economy.

As the Portuguese representative of YCN I hope to expand the Portuguese network and I express my availability for any scientific contact,

Materials Engineering and Ceramic Department

CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials

University of Aveiro

Aveiro, Portugal

Guest editor: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/processes/special_issues/Sustainable_Materials_Applications