We are pleased to announce that the `Materials + Technologies´ Group (GMT) at EHU will host GCNPM 2026 – Green Chemistry and Nanotechnologies in Polymeric Materials in Donostia–San Sebastian from 15 to 17 June 2026.

Key information

• Conference dates: 15–17 June 2026.
• Abstract submission: Decembre 1, 2025-March 15, 2026.
• Registration: open on April 1.
• Venue: School of Engineering of Gipuzkoa - EHU, Donostia–San Sebastián.
• Topics: green chemistry, polymeric materials, nanomaterials, sustainable processing, and applications.

More information: CONFERENCE WEB

The Materials + Technologies (GMT) research group has developed a more sustainable material for denim abrasion and is analysing its potential for use in other types of substrates. It has been found that the sand obtained by crushing mussel shells has better abrasive properties than other materials used by the textile industry. In addition, it is also more circular, as waste is converted into raw material.

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We are proud that Cristina Peña has been recognized with the award granted by the Department of Sustainability, which highlights the leadership of women who promote the circular economy, academic innovation, and social action to build a fairer and more sustainable future within the academic and university context. This recognition reinforces the importance of connecting knowledge generation, technology transfer, and commitment to society.

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The researchers from our group, María Gabriela Rodríguez and María del Mar Cammarata, took part in the MADPOL 2025 – Madrid Symposium on Polymers, held in Alcalá de Henares from November 12th to 14th. They presented the works ‘Influence of a Reactive Diluent on the Properties of UV-Curable Waterborne Polyurethane Acrylate Coatings’ and ‘Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight Non-Isocyanate Polyurethanes Enabling Electrospinning’, as a poster and an oral presentation, respectively.

‘today's waste will be the new materials of the future’, ‘linear systems will be circularised’, ‘we will recycle with added value’, ‘we will promote reuse’, ‘we will raise awareness in society’ and ‘we will be more sustainable’

For all this to happen, it is necessary to generate a public network of available waste and developed solutions. This is what Naturklima, the climate change foundation of Gipuzkoa promoted by the Department of Sustainability of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, has done.

The library of materials, Materiategi LabNK, was inaugurated on 29 May. It is located in the Naturklima building and is a pioneering infrastructure at regional and national level.   It has samples of materials representative of the circular economy, produced in Gipuzkoa by companies, research centres and other entities. Among its objectives is the cataloguing of materials representative of the circular economy made in Gipuzkoa and the Basque Country and the promotion of new challenges in the circular economy.

In addition, remote access to Materiategi LabNK is enabled. The website contains a digital file for each of the materials stored in the library.

From GMT we have participated and continue to collaborate with Naturklima to provide solutions for polymeric waste such as polyamide fishing nets, waste collected from the sea of high density polyethylene, waste from the processing of recycled polyolefin beams, in collaboration with Jolas; polyurethane ear tags and wool from latxa sheep. Some of the proposals we have presented : filaments, both polyamide and HDPE for the textile industry, as well as polyurethane+latxa sheep wool composite filament for 3D printing; polyurethane membranes with TiO2 nanoparticles; thermosetting polyurethane based on renewable polyols, developed in collaboration with Tecnalia.

We are proud to share that our GMT group leader, Prof. A. Eceiza, has been recognized among the top 500 female researchers in the CSIC ranking. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

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Last Friday, 29th November 2024, our colleague Stefano Torresi received the MANUEL LABORDE WERLINDEN Award for the work Nanoclik, the result of the research developed in his Doctoral Thesis. Zorionak Stefano!!!

Info +

In collaboration with the Circular Economy University-Company Classroom of the Faculty of Engineering Gipuzkoa, UPV/EHU, Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa) from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 (November) we will be in the txoko Where does the sea begin?
Under this slogan, primary microplastics and the origin of secondary microplastics derived from the degradation that plastic undergoes in marine conditions will be shown. In this line, the GMT collaborates with the LTC AquEus Transboundary Cooperation Laboratory to advance in the analysis of the effect of these pollutants. It also includes work by the GMT on the mechanical and chemical recycling of marine, urban and industrial waste.
 
For the development of sustainable production processes, aspects such as the waste hierarchy and the efficient use of resources promoted by the circular economy must be considered. For this reason, the GMT has been working for more than 2 decades on the valorisation of compounds derived from waste of renewable origin. These include compounds derived from wood processing, such as tannin and lignin, both of which have a wide range of applications from incorporation in the synthesis of phenolic resins to the formulation of cosmetics. We have also been passionate about the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of latxa sheep wool for many years. Therefore on the stand you will find some examples, such as wool composites processed as biodegradable 3D printing filament and sections of surfboards with wool reinforcement.
We would like to thank Tytti Thursberg, Mater Museoa, Yurre Peñagarikano (URKOME), LTC AquEUS (Euskampus Fundazioa) and all the people of the GMT who have participated in the research.

>> Zientzia astea.