Abstract

The lecture will briefly present the research lines of the DRACONS research group, focusing on those related to the development of innovative hydrometallurgical cycle for the recovery of elements from different waste streams as well to the synthesis and use of nanofluids and synthetic mimic enzymes for CO₂ capture and utilization processes. The fundamentals of transport reactive phenomena will be covered before introducing and discussing the practical laboratory and process simulation activities carried out by the research group, to better involve the audience and let them able to intervene at the end of the lecture.

Biography

Giorgio Vilardi is Professor (Associate) of Chemical Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome, qualified as Full Professor. He is ranked among the World's Top 2% Scientists (Elsevier-World Ranking of Top 2% Scientists) from 2019, he is author of several scientific contributions in the field of thermo-chemical valorisation of solid waste (gasification technologies), decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors (mainly ironmaking, steelmaking and cement, by means of CCS/CCU and alternative fuel use), process intensification in the metals extractions and production of nanofluids, biomimetic absorbents, metallic iron and iron oxide nanoparticles. He is part of the editorial board of 5 scientific journals, such as JTICE (Elsevier). Chair of ICRTEG 2020 and member of Program Committee of NESP 2022, member of Scientific Committee and invited lecturer at the 3rd GREENERING in 2025, Invited Plenary Speaker at various conferences (Japan-Osaka ICCME25 the last). Winner of Minerza Award for Scientific Research in 2021, of the Early Career Award-GRICU in 2022 and of the Bettersize – Particuology Excellent Article Award for his research output on iron extraction and metallic iron production. He is President of the Sustainable Steelmaking National Working Group of AIDIC (Italian National Chemical Engineering Association).

He got Research Grants (as PI or Co-PI) from both Public and Private sectors (in total more than 5 Meuros in the period 2022-2025). Author, moreover, of 8 industrial patents on process intensification and hybrid equipment, green syntheses and process cycles, all extended in the EU/US/China. Director and founder of the research group DRACONS (DecaRbonisAtion and CO2 NanoSequestration). Before embarking on an academic career, he worked for small engineering companies in hard-to-abate industrial plants. He is also Professor at the Sapienza School for Advanced Studies since 2025.