Research and Development
Miniplant and material development up to TRL 6
At InVerTec, our involvement in advanced R&D projects is the foundation of our technology transfer. We focus on early-stage process engineering, specifically through miniplant and material development at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) up to 6. By establishing continuous operation models and integrating analytical inline systems, we generate reliable experimental data that forms an essential support pillar for our large-scale engineering projects. This rigorous laboratory validation ensures that innovative concepts are successfully scaled into robust industrial solutions.
Explore some of our recent collaborative research initiatives
| Year | Project |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Plasma-based production of functionalized glass microspheres Development of a fully electrified microwave plasma process for the low-carbon production of functionalized glass microspheres from recycled glass. The work includes optimization of the process setup, improvement of the feedstock materials, process engineering, complete mass and energy balance optimization, and detailed material product characterization based on experimental trials. |
| 2026 | PTFE depolymerization of multiple feedstocks Depolymerization of various PTFE feedstocks containing different types and amounts of fillers. The work includes the evaluation of multiple pre-treatment methods for the feedstock materials, assessment of their impact on mass yields, inline gas products analytics, and comprehensive mass and energy balances. |
| 2025 | High Temperature Conversion (HTC) Development and optimisation of a high-temperature conversion process for fluorinated polymers, targeting the recovery of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, including reactor and quenching design, operation, and mass and energy balance analysis based on miniplant-scale trials. |
| 2025 | Hydrothermal recycling Development and scale-up of a hydrothermal recycling process for end-of-life ionomer membranes, including operation at elevated temperature and pressure, mass and energy balance, and transfer from laboratory to pilot scale, with downstream separation concepts (ion exchange, ultrafiltration) supporting industrial implementation. |
| 2025 | Plasma-assisted synthesis Development of a plasma-assisted process for the conversion of fluorinated gases into fluorinated monomers, focusing on process development, reaction pathways and downstream steps, and mass and heat balance evaluation under atmospheric-pressure microwave plasma conditions. |
| 2025 | Plasma-based processing of mineral powders (glass microspheres) Development of a microwave plasma-based thermal process for the expansion of fine glass powders into hollow glass microspheres, including process development, reactor design, energy and mass balances, and assessment of scalability and energy efficiency. |
| 2024 | High-temperature/pressure gas-phase conversion Development and experimental validation of a high-temperature and pressure gas-phase conversion process for fluorinated gases, including process development, plant design and construction, reactor operation under elevated temperature and pressure, and mass and energy balance assessment based on miniplant-scale trials. Downstream gas handling, neutralisation, and analytical evaluation were also integrated to support process robustness and scale-up considerations in cooperation with an industrial partner. |
| 2024 | Plasma-assisted synthesis of carbon black Development of a plasma-assisted synthesis of carbon black particles from different feedstocks. The work included process development, evaluation of conversion rates, and comprehensive mass and energy balance analysis based on experimental trials, including the detailed characterization of the produced materials. |
| 2024 | Recycling via Fluidized Bed Pyrolysis Development and evaluation of a pyrolysis process for fluoroelastomer materials using a fluidised bed reactor concept. The work included process development, assessment of reaction conditions, and mass and energy balance analysis based on experimental miniplant trials. |
