Massimiliano Delferro

Massimiliano Delferro is a chemist and group leader of the Catalysis Science Program at Argonne National Laboratory, with a concurrent appointment as a Senior Scientist at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME), University of Chicago. He leads the Argonne initiative on 'Science for a Circular Economy,' focusing on chemical recycling of plastics and sustainable catalyst development.

• Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry (University of Parma, 2008)
• Research Associate Professor (Northwestern University, 2010-2016)

His research spans catalysis, chemical recycling of plastics, hydrogen production using earth-abundant catalysts, and valorization of shale gas. He is widely recognized for his work on polymer upcycling, organometallic surface chemistry, and metal-organic framework (MOF) catalysis.

Recent publications highlight his leadership in converting plastic waste into high-value products (e.g., lubricants, functional polymers), supported by advanced spectroscopic and computational methods. Trends include C–C bond cleavage, MOF-supported catalysts, and redox-tunable systems.

• AAAS Fellow (2023)
• RSC ChemComm Pioneering Investigator (2023)
• R&D100 Award Finalist (2022)
• Argonne TCP Rising Star (2022)

Delferro has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, holds 30+ patents, and serves on the editorial board of ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. He has been actively involved in professional societies, including the American Chemical Society and the Catalysis Society, where he served as President and Program Chair.