Ina Vollmer

Assistant Professor
Employed since: May 2019
Email: i.vollmer@uu.nl
Room: David de Wied 5.88

Research

Research

The majority of plastic waste is landfilled, burned or leaks to the environment. Unfortunately, only 12 % (by weight) is recycled globally1 mainly because the predominantly applied recycling technique of melting and re-extrusion produces a lower quality plastic.2–6 Therefore, chemical depolymerization of plastic has been studied to produce monomers which can be used to make high-quality plastic again. For polyolefins, however, only a very mixed, low value hydrocarbon stream was obtained thus far.4  This is because thermal cracking of the strong polyolefin bonds evokes random bond scission, uncontrolled further reaction and thus the formation of various products besides monomers.

My research focusses on developing pathways for the low temperature selective chemical recycling of plastic waste to chemical building blocks like aromatics, carboxylic acids and monomers. I am especially interested in using mechanochemistry and catalysis to drive the depolymerization and cracking reactions of polyolefins. Mechanochemistry is a rather less developed field of chemistry where reactions are driven not by thermal energy, electrons or photons but rather by mechanical strain, which can lower the activation energy needed to be overcome for bond cleavage. This strain can, for example, be applied in a ball mill. Heterogeneous catalysts can also lower the activation energy barrier and improve selectivity to commercially interesting products like aromatics.


Extending the bonds of polymers by force, e.g. in a ball mill can assist their cleavage and help to depolymerize them at lower temperatures.

 

(1)        The Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastic&Catalysing Action; 2013; Vol. 52.

(2)        Jansson, A.; Möller, K.; Gevert, T. Degradation of Post-Consumer Polypropylene Materials Exposed to Simulated Recycling—Mechanical Properties. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2003, 82 (1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(03)00160-5.

(3)        Canevarolo, S. V. Chain Scission Distribution Function for Polypropylene Degradation during Multiple Extrusions. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2000, 70(1), 71–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(00)00090-2.

(4)        Ragaert, K.; Delva, L.; Van Geem, K. Mechanical and Chemical Recycling of Solid Plastic Waste. Waste Manag. 2017, 69, 24–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.07.044.

(5)        Dordinejad, A. K.; Sharif, F.; Ebrahimi, M.; Rashedi, R. Rheological and Thermorheological Assessment of Polyethylene in Multiple Extrusion Process. Thermochim. Acta 2018, 668, 19–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TCA.2018.08.010.

(6)        Bai, C.; Spontak, R. J.; Koch, C. C.; Saw, C. K.; Balik, C. M. Structural Changes in Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Induced by Mechanical Milling. Polymer (Guildf). 2000, 41 (19), 7147–7157. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0032-3861(00)00048-3.

C.V.

C.V.

2015 – 2019 PhD at Technical University Delft in Catalysis Engineering

2013 -2015 M.S.CEP Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2009 – 2013 B.Sc. Process Engineering University of Applied Sciences Hamburg

News

20 May 2022

Ina & Ward received an NWO XS grant for curiosity-driven research

Ina Vollmer and Ward van der Stam (both ICC) have received an NWO XS grant of 50.000 euro for curiosity-driven research into new ways to recycle plastic and CO2. Ina […]

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11 May 2021

Where has all the plastic gone? Ina Vollmer & Florian Meirer interviewed about plastic in the environment

Ina Vollmer and Florian Meirer have been interviewed for an in-depth article about plastic in the environment: 99 percent of all the plastics in the ocean is missing. We know […]

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Publications

Aydonat, Simay; Hergesell, Adrian H.; Seitzinger, Claire L.; Lennarz, Regina; Chang, George; Sievers, Carsten; Meisner, Jan; Vollmer, Ina; Göstl, Robert

Leveraging mechanochemistry for sustainable polymer degradation Journal Article

In: Polymer Journal, 2024, (Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access).

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Vollmer, Ina; Jenks, Michael J. F.; Rejman, Sebastian; Meirer, Florian; Gurinov, Andrei; Baldus, Marc; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Unravelling potential reaction intermediates during catalytic pyrolysis of polypropylene with microscopy and spectroscopy Journal Article

In: Catalysis Science and Technology, vol. 52, 2024, (Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access).

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Schnabl, Kordula B.; Mandemaker, Laurens D. B.; Nierop, Klaas G. J.; Deen, Olivier V. B.; Eefting, Desmond D.; Vollmer, Ina; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Green Additives in Chitosan-Based Bioplastic Films: Physical, Mechanical, and Chemical Properties Journal Article

In: ChemSusChem, vol. 16, no. 20, 2023, (Cited by: 0; All Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access).

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Vollmer, Ina; Sardon, Haritz; Huber, George W.; Li, Zhibo

Introduction to Plastic Conversion Journal Article

In: Polymer Chemistry, vol. 14, no. 26, pp. 3054 – 3056, 2023, (Cited by: 0).

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Thevenon, Arnaud; Vollmer, Ina

Towards a Cradle-to-Cradle Polyolefin Lifecycle Journal Article

In: Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, vol. 62, no. 3, 2023, (Cited by: 2).

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Vollmer, Ina; Sardon, Haritz; Huber, George W.; Li, Zhibo

Introduction to Plastic Conversion Journal Article

In: Catalysis Science and Technology, vol. 13, no. 13, pp. 3737 – 3739, 2023, (Cited by: 0).

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Jöbsis, Huygen J.; Fykouras, Kostas; Reinders, Joost W. C.; van Katwijk, Jacco; Dorresteijn, Joren M.; Arens, Tjom; Vollmer, Ina; Muscarella, Loreta A.; Leppert, Linn; Hutter, Eline M.

Conduction Band Tuning by Controlled Alloying of Fe into Cs2AgBiBr6 Double Perovskite Powders Journal Article

In: Advanced Functional Materials, 2023, (Cited by: 1; All Open Access, Green Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access).

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Smak, Tom J.; de Peinder, Peter; der Waal, Jan C. Van; Altink, Rinke; Vollmer, Ina; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Oxidative Conversion of Polyethylene Towards Di-Carboxylic Acids: A Multi-Analytical Approach Journal Article

In: ChemSusChem, 2023, (Cited by: 0).

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Rejman, Sebastian; Vollmer, Ina; Werny, Maximilian J.; Vogt, Eelco T. C.; Meirer, Florian; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Transport limitations in polyolefin cracking at the single catalyst particle level Journal Article

In: Chemical Science, vol. 14, no. 37, pp. 10068 – 10080, 2023, (Cited by: 4; All Open Access, Gold Open Access, Green Open Access).

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Vaksmaa, Annika; Knittel, Katrin; Asbun, Alejandro Abdala; Goudriaan, Maaike; Ellrott, Andreas; Witte, Harry J.; Vollmer, Ina; Meirer, Florian; Lott, Christian; Weber, Miriam; Engelmann, Julia C.; Niemann, Helge

Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea Journal Article

In: Frontiers in Microbiology, vol. 12, 2021, (Cited by: 54; All Open Access, Gold Open Access, Green Open Access).

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Vollmer, Ina; Jenks, Michael J. F.; González, Rafael Mayorga; Meirer, Florian; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Plastic Waste Conversion over a Refinery Waste Catalyst Journal Article

In: Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, vol. 60, no. 29, pp. 16101 – 16108, 2021, (Cited by: 68; All Open Access, Green Open Access, Hybrid Gold Open Access).

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Vollmer, Ina; Jenks, Michael J. F.; Roelands, Mark C. P.; White, Robin J.; van Harmelen, Toon; de Wild, Paul; van der Laan, Gerard P.; Meirer, Florian; Keurentjes, Jos T. F.; Weckhuysen, Bert M.

Beyond Mechanical Recycling: Giving New Life to Plastic Waste Journal Article

In: Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, vol. 59, no. 36, pp. 15402 – 15423, 2020, (Cited by: 695; All Open Access, Green Open Access).

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Yarulina, I; Wispelaere, K De; Bailleul, S; Goetze, J; Radersma, M; Abou-Hamad, E; Vollmer, I; Goesten, M; Mezari, B; Hensen, E J M; Martínez-Espín, J S; Morten, M; Mitchell, S; Perez-Ramirez, J; Olsbye, U; Weckhuysen, B M; Speybroeck, V Van; Kapteijn, F; Gascon, J

Erratum to: Structure–performance descriptors and the role of Lewis acidity in the methanol-to-propylene process (Nature Chemistry, (2018), 10, 8, (804-812), 10.1038/s41557-018-0081-0) Journal Article

In: Nature Chemistry, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 897, 2018, (cited By 1).

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Yarulina, I; Wispelaere, K De; Bailleul, S; Goetze, J; Radersma, M; Abou-Hamad, E; Vollmer, I; Goesten, M; Mezari, B; Hensen, E J M; Martínez-Espín, J S; Morten, M; Mitchell, S; Perez-Ramirez, J; Olsbye, U; Weckhuysen, B M; Speybroeck, V Van; Kapteijn, F; Gascon, J

Structure–performance descriptors and the role of Lewis acidity in the methanol-to-propylene process Journal Article

In: Nature Chemistry, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 804-812, 2018, (cited By 84).

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Yarulina, Irina; Wispelaere, Kristof De; Bailleul, Simon; Goetze, Joris; Radersma, Mike; Abou-Hamad, Edy; Vollmer, Ina; Goesten, Maarten; Mezari, Brahim; Hensen, Emiel J. M.; Martínez-Espín, Juan S.; Morten, Magnus; Mitchell, Sharon; Perez-Ramirez, Javier; Olsbye, Unni; Weckhuysen, Bert M.; Speybroeck, Veronique Van; Kapteijn, Freek; Gascon, Jorge

Erratum to: Structure–performance descriptors and the role of Lewis acidity in the methanol-to-propylene process (Nature Chemistry, (2018), 10, 8, (804-812), 10.1038/s41557-018-0081-0) Journal Article

In: Nature Chemistry, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 897, 2018, (Cited by: 4; All Open Access, Bronze Open Access).

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Vollmer, Ina; Li, Guanna; Yarulina, Irina; Kosinov, Nikolay; Hensen, Emiel J.; Houben, Klaartje; Mance, Deni; Baldus, Marc; Gascon, Jorge; Kapteijn, Freek

Relevance of the Mo-precursor state in H-ZSM-5 for methane dehydroaromatization Journal Article

In: Catalysis Science and Technology, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 916 – 922, 2018, (Cited by: 42; All Open Access, Green Open Access).

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Yarulina, Irina; Wispelaere, Kristof De; Bailleul, Simon; Goetze, Joris; Radersma, Mike; Abou-Hamad, Edy; Vollmer, Ina; Goesten, Maarten; Mezari, Brahim; Hensen, Emiel J. M.; Martínez-Espín, Juan S.; Morten, Magnus; Mitchell, Sharon; Perez-Ramirez, Javier; Olsbye, Unni; Weckhuysen, Bert M.; Speybroeck, Veronique Van; Kapteijn, Freek; Gascon, Jorge

Structure–performance descriptors and the role of Lewis acidity in the methanol-to-propylene process Journal Article

In: Nature Chemistry, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 804 – 812, 2018, (Cited by: 209; All Open Access, Green Open Access).

Links | BibTeX

Other publications

See earlier publications on Scopus.