Chiara Pernechele

Personal Information

Professional Background

Briefly describe your professional background and area of expertise:

After a master degree in Physics and a PhD in material science, I worked in a multidisciplinary context in the field of multifunctional materials. I started my career at university and then moved to Dallara R&D department, in which I started settling down the mechanical testing laboratory in which we are characterizing innovative materials and solutions.

In the past years my activity was focused on the research and characterization of advanced and multifunctional composite materials, circularity and sustainability.
What inspired you to pursue a career in this related field, e.g., composite materials recycling?:

Composite materials and polymers are nowadays used in all the fields, from motorsport to mass transportation, from sporting goods to leisure. A more sustainable approach is absolutely necessary to face global warming and technological challenges to deal with waste management and pollution.

A more sustainable approach is absolutely necessary to face global warming and the technological challenges of waste management and pollution.

Role in EURECOMP

What is your role in the EURECOMP project?:

Technical Leader
Can you describe your main responsibilities and tasks?

I am responsible to coordinate the technical team in the design and production of a second generator demonstrator to be used in the racing sector, along with the design of a second demonstrator that will combine recycled short fibers and advanced thermoplastic polymers.
How does your work contribute to the overall goals of the EURECOMP project?:

At Dallara, we contribute to EURECOMP with the design and production of two demonstrators and we supplied with end of life automotive components for the recycling process.

Project Insights

What do you find most exciting about working on the EURECOMP project?:

The fact that we learned how to evaluate different recycling and repurposing routes as a function of the type of waste and materials involved.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your work on this project?

The development of high performance components with recycled fibers is a very complex challenge.
Can you share a significant milestone or achievement your team has reached so far?

So far, we succeeded in designing a demonstrator characterized by a complex geometry that would be produced with recycled carbon fibers and a mass production technology.

So far, we succeeded in designing a demonstrator with complex geometry using recycled carbon fibers and a mass production technology.

Personal Experience

What have you learned during your time working on EURECOMP?:

This project has contributed to deepen my knowledge not only on different sustainable approaches for composite materials, but also on several aspects and considerations of product development.
How has this project influenced your professional development?:

Working in an international environment characterized by different and interdisciplinary competences has strongly enriched my knowledge and pushed my professional development.

Fun Facts

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love to stay with my family and friends, hiking and making pastries.
Share a fun fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know:

I always loved preparing cakes, but ten years ago I started attending cake design and pastry courses and now I am able to prepare the best Macarons you can ever try!

Curiosity is an extraordinary spring that pushes us to discover and learn.

Closing Thoughts

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with the EURECOMP project?:

Curiosity is an extraordinary spring that pushes us to discover and learn.