The Laboratory of Polymer Technology (LPT) is the first officially established laboratory in Greece (Government Gazette 80B/1-3-1983) in the scientific field of polymers, and is one of the largest units in the area in terms of infrastructure and human resources.

Educational Activity

The LPT covers the teaching of the following undergraduate courses:

• Polymer Engineering (6^th semester, School of Chemical Engineering)
• Product Design (6^th semester, School of Chemical Engineering)
• Polymer Processing (8^th, 10^th semesters, School of Chemical Engineering, Track: Materials, Specialization: Polymers and Composite Materials) with 8 laboratory exercises on polymer and composite material forming/modification and characterization technologies
• Polymeric Materials Production Engineering (9^th semester, School of Chemical Engineering, Track: Materials, Specialization: Polymers and Composite Materials) with 8 laboratory exercises on production, study of physicochemical properties, design, and recycling of polymers

It also covers the teaching of postgraduate courses:

• Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Materials – Rheology (1^st semester, Interdepartmental MSc in Materials Science and Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, NTUA)
• Polymer Technology (2^nd semester, Interdepartmental MSc in Automation Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, NTUA)
• Advanced Laboratory Exercises in Materials: Processing of thermoplastic polymers in a single-screw extruder system (2^nd semester, Interdepartmental MSc in Materials Science and Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, NTUA)

In combination with its research activities, the LPT trains a significant number of postgraduate students (both doctoral and master’s theses), undergraduate students (diploma theses), as well as Erasmus students within the framework of internships (Erasmus+ traineeship).

Research Activity

The research areas of the LPT focus on:

1. Polymerization processes – Polyamidation and polyesterification technologies.
2. Development and design of recycling and plastic waste management technologies.
3. Study and development of biodegradable polymers derived from renewable raw materials.
4. Design and development of biomedical polymers:
   • Biodegradable polymers for controlled drug delivery and scaffolds in tissue engineering
   • Silicone elastomers for applications in maxillofacial prosthetics
5. Design and development of macro- and nano-composite polymer-based materials.
6. Study and design of polymer packaging materials – Migration of additives into foods and pharmaceuticals.

The primary aim of the research is the optimization of products and processes with emphasis on:

• Environmentally friendly polymerization processes
• Design of innovative new products
• Composite and nanocomposite materials, biomaterials, and packaging materials
• Biodegradable polymers and polymers derived from renewable raw materials
• Recycling and management of plastic waste

Laboratory Infrastructure

The LPT possesses equipment for production, modification/processing/recycling, and characterization of polymeric materials. In particular, beyond general laboratory equipment, the LPT includes various polymerization systems: stainless steel high-pressure reactors, solid-state polymerization reactor, glass reactors with appropriate stirring and temperature-control systems. For polymer modification and processing, it is equipped with an internal mixer, single- and twin-screw laboratory extruders, hot press, injection molding machine, crusher, and grinding mill. Regarding polymer characterization, the LPT has suitable infrastructure and instrumentation for determination of chemical structure and composition (FTIR-ATR, UV-Vis, HPLC, GC), mechanical properties (tensile, shear and flexural strength, impact), thermal properties (Differential Scanning Calorimetry – DSC, Thermogravimetric Analysis – TGA), analysis of end groups (potentiometric titration), determination of melt flow rate (MFR), dilute solution viscometry, and Brookfield viscometry.

Services

The services offered to third parties include:

1. Capability for basic or applied research in polymeric material structures. Issuance of relevant reports or certificates.
2. Characterization of polymer-based materials with study and evaluation of typical rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties.
3. Qualitative analysis and compliance testing with required specifications, with the possibility of issuing technical reports.
4. Provision of consulting services to organizations related to the use of plastics, particularly in areas relevant to the laboratory’s research interests.
5. Possibility of organizing conferences and training seminars in the fields of Polymer Science and Technology.