Vasili Elona

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elona-vasili-3a9959127/

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Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6697-5214

Ciclo: XXXVII (PON Green)

Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering

Curriculum: Chemical and materials engineering

Title of the PhD Project: Development of electrospinning and 3D printing processes of nanocellulose from lignocellulosic biomass and bacterial fermentation in the creation of functional coatings for sustainable packaging

Supervisor(s): Prof. Maurizia SEGGIANI, Prof. Serena DANTI

Co-supervisor: Prof. Patrizia CINELLI

Abstract of the PhD project:

Cellulose represents the most abundant biopolymer on earth, whose global production is estimated at 10 billion tons per year and is considered a renewable source of raw material, as it is regularly regenerated by nature in relatively short periods of time, to be allocated to the growing demand of environmentally friendly materials for packaging. However, cellulose does not possess some necessary properties, such as barrier properties to gases and liquids. Being poorly soluble in common organic solvents and not melting, it is extracted from lignocellulosic biomass, in which it is present at 30-50%, with processes that have a high environmental impact. Nanocellulose represents the shape purer and crystalline than cellulose and can be extracted from lignocellulosic or microbial biomass in the form of nanocrystals, nanofibrils and nanofibres, demonstrating distinctive properties (barrier properties) from which a strong potential for use in many commercial sectors has been deduced, including packaging. In fact, nanocellulose has better barrier properties to oxygen and water vapor than cellulose. The project aims to use new green processes for the extraction (e.g. through deep eutectic solvents) of nanocellulose from waste biomass. The nanocellulose obtained from both biomass and bacterial fermentation will be used to develop manufacturing processes through electrospinning and 3D printing. Electrospinning is a conceptually simple and extremely versatile technology that allows the production of fibers ultrafine (diameters from 10 nanometers to 2 microns) which give rise to a non-woven fabric through the spinning of a polymer solution by applying an electric field, generally at environment. However, it is necessary to identify suitable solvents for the solubilization of nanocellulose, preferably with low environmental impact, recoverable, and scalable at an industrial level. Similarly, 3D printing of nanocellulose, a technology that would allow further applicability in many sectors including the biomedical sector, represents a further innovation. It is planned to test the 3D printing process of nanocellulose both as a bioink together with other biopolymers, and as a nanocomposite using thermoplastic biopolymers such as biodegradable polyesters.

Visiting PhD experience

• Jan 2023 – May 2023, Nov 2023 – Dec 2023

Linari Engineering s.r.l. (Pisa, Italy)

Supervisor: Dr. Stefano Linari

• May 2023 – Aug 2023

RoyLab – University of Sheffield (Sheffield, UK)

Supervisor: Prof. Ipsita Roy

• Aug 2023 – Nov 2023

TITK e. V. (Rudolstadt, Germany)

Supervisor: Dr. Markus Krieg

Tutoring experience

• PhD visiting student from University of Sheffield support on production of BC/PHA-based electrospun scaffolds for neural application (Sept – Oct 2022)
• Support of activities during the Linari Engineering internship of the BIOPHAM master's students (Nov – Dec 2023)

Conferences

• Vasili, B. Azimi, P. Cinelli, I. Roy, S. Danti, M. Seggiani. Study of green solvent systems for cellulose and lignin for packaging applications.1st Conference on Green Chmistry and Sustainabl Coatings. Pisa, Italy - 2022.
• Vasili, B. Azimi, S. Ismaeilimoghadam, C. Crestini, I. Roy, P. Cinelli, S. Danti, M. Seggiani. Sustainable Electrospinning of Cellulose and Lignin Nanofibers: A Green Approach for Food Packaging Innovation. 2nd Conference on Green Chemistry and Sustainable Coatings Sustainable. Pisa, Italy - 2023.
• Vasili, B. Azimi, S. Ismaeilimoghadam, I. Roy, P. Cinelli, S. Danti, M. Seggiani. Sustainable Electrospinning of Cellulose and Lignin Nanofibers. 7th International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing and Materials. Cambridge, UK - 2023.
• Vasili, B. Azimi, P. Cinelli, I. Roy, S. Danti, M. Seggiani. Use of Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents systems for cellulose and lignin electrospinning. 11th EPF Summer School, Bertinoro, Italy 2023 and Engineering Research Symposium, Sheffield, UK - 2023.
• Vasili, B. Azimi, M. Krieg, P. Cinelli, I. Roy, S. Danti, M. Seggiani. Bacterial cellulose production, cellulose, and lignin dissolution, characterization, fibres and film formation. Conference on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Materials. Pisa, Italy - 2023.

Courses and PhD schools

• Level C1 and C1 PLUS - English for Research Publication and Presentation Pruposes -Joanne Spataro (60 h).
• Polymeric Materials for Special Applications - Dario Puppi (48 h).
• Manufacturing of Polymer Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications - Luana Persano (24 h).
• Transversal teaching activities for PhD students (33 h).
• Introduction to tensor calculus - Cristina Padovani (16 h).
• Microfabrication for Bioinspired Adhesive Surfaces - Mark R. Cutkosky (16 h).
• Uncertainty quantification and stochastic sensitivity analysis - Alessandro Mariotti (12 h).
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and SimaPro - Leo Breedveld (12 h).
• Electrospun Nanofibers and Electrosprayed Nanoparticles Based on Biocompatible, Bioactive, and Electroactive Polymers: Applications in Biomedical and Cosmetic Area - Bahareh Azimi (8 h).
• TA Instrument Courses for Thermal Analysis (4 h).
• Sustainability and Circular Economy Lecture Series - Bioeconomy and Bioenergy – Giovanni De Santi (3h).
• The role of forest-based bioeconomy in mitigating climate changes – Giacomo Grassi (2 h).
• Courses for PhD students on University of Sheffield (Fire Awareness & Fire Marshall Training, Working at Height Safely, Local training Engineering, Health&Safety Awareness, Biological Waste, Managing Waste in University Labs, Display Screen Equipment, COSHH Awareness, General Risk Assessment Techniques (~40 h).