DeeeMines: an i-PhD award to accelerate innovation in brominated plastics recycling

We are proud to announce that Morvan Gaudin has received the i-PhD award from Bpifrance. This annual distinction recognises scientific projects with high innovation potential.

The award recognises the excellence of Morvan's doctoral research into the recovery of antimony — a metal classified as critical by the European Union — from brominated plastics in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Currently, this waste is largely incinerated in France and Europe, despite representing a strategic resource that remains untapped.

Scientific research at the origin of DeeeMines

The results of this thesis, conducted within the Urban Mining Chair at Chimie ParisTech – PSL with the support of the eco-organisation ecosystem, formed the basis of the DeeeMines project, which was developed in collaboration with Grégory Lefèvre, Vincent Semetey and Frédéric Rousseau.

This award will provide decisive support in structuring the future antimony industry in Europe.

Thanks to this award, the project's co-founders will benefit from a year of support from Bpifrance, including mentoring, deeptech expertise, and strategic structuring. This support is a vital step towards the industrialisation of the process and the development of a European recycling industry for antimony and brominated plastics.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Bpifrance for its support.

It was also an evening marked by i-Lab success!

The ceremony celebrated the i-Lab prize awarded to the Plaskimia microfluidics project team, led by Michael Tatoulian, Laurent Boitard, Pierre Dedieu, Gabriel Morand and Shima M.

We warmly congratulate our colleagues on this prestigious recognition.