Costas Tzoganakis, PhD, FSPE, FCAE, FCIC, PEng

Costas Tzoganakis is a Chemical Engineering Professor at the University of Waterloo.
He specializes in polymer engineering and is working on multiple research projects that include polymer reactive extrusion, rubber devulcanization using supercritical carbon dioxide, plastics and rubber nano-composites, sustainable bio-based polymers and coatings, inferential sensors for polymer compounding, and modification of polyolefins through reactive extrusion.
Professor Tzoganakis and his research team successfully developed a reactive extrusion technology on the melt-phase hydrosilylation of polypropylene. This technology facilitates the modification of polypropylene for increased adhesion, chemical reactivity and hydrophilicity, and is beneficial to manufacturers of engineered plastics and elastomers. Milliken, a worldwide manufacturer of specialty additives, has recognized the market opportunity to incorporate this technology in their line of products, and was able to secure a license for the technology.
Another significant contribution of Professor Tzoganakis is in the area of rubber devulcanization using supercritical carbon dioxide. His efforts have led to the development of a green technology that converts scrap tire rubber into a tire-derived polymer that can be used as a feed stock for new tire manufacturing, automotive seals and other elastomeric high value products. In addition to his teaching and research duties, Professor Tzoganakis serves as Chief Technology Officer of Tyromer Inc., a University of Waterloo start-up company commercializing a patented technology on rubber devulcanization.
In recognition of his research contributions, Professor Tzoganakis has received the following prestigious awards: (i) Syncrude Canada Innovation Award from the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE) in 2000, (ii) Heinz List Award from the Extrusion Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) in 2015, (iii) Heinz Hermann Award from the Extrusion Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) in 2018, (iv) James L. White Innovation Award from the Polymer processing Society (PPS) in 2018, and (v) En-Hui Yang Engineering Research Innovation Award, University of Waterloo in 2022. Professor Tzoganakis is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Canada (CIC), a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) and a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).

• Reactive Extrusion of Polymers
• Extrusion of Polymers with Supercritical CO2
• Devulcanization of Recycled Rubber with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide
• Plastics and Rubber Nanocomposites
• Bio-based Sustainable Polymers and Coatings
• Analysis and On-line Monitoring of Polymer Compounding Operations
• Polymer Rheology
• Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Simulation of Polymer Processing Operations

• 1989, Doctorate, Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Canada
• 1983, Dipl. Eng., Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University, Greece

• 2000 CSChE Syncrude Canada Innovation Award
• 2001 Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC)
• 2015 Heinz List Award - In recognition of outstanding achievements in polymer devolatilization and reactive processing- Extrusion Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
• 2016 Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
• 2018 Heinz Hermann Award - In recognition of significant contributions to the advancement of twin-screw extrusion technology - Extrusion Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
• 2018 James L. White Innovation Award from the Polymer Processing Society (PPS) - The award is for an innovative development in the field of polymer processing technologies with recent commercial impact. It aims to recognize originality, innovation and creativity among researcher(s) or inventor(s) in the science and technology of processing polymers and polymeric products
• 2022 En-Hui Yang Engineering Research Innovation Award, University of Waterloo
• 2024 Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE)

• CHE 211 - Fluid Mechanics
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• CHE 231 - Physical Chemistry 2
  • Taught in 2022
• CHE 543 - Polymer Production: Polymer Reaction Engineering
  • Taught in 2020, 2021
• CHE 641 - Fundamentals of Polymer Processing Operations
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• J-C. Yang, A. Arefi, V. Gritsichine and C. Tzoganakis (2025). “Non-PFAS polymer processing aids: Slip velocity measurements and time-to-clear studies in blown film extrusion”, Journal of Plastic Film & Sheeting, OnlineFirst. Vol. 0(0) 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/87560879251325804
• E. Ojogbo, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2025). “Silane-modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) based natural rubber composites”, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 190, 108632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108632
• D. Jubinville, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). "Recycled PLA – wood flour based bio-composites: effect of wood flour surface modification, PLA recycling, and maleation", Construction and Building Materials, 352, 129026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129026
• E. Ojogbo, C. Tzoganakis, and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). “Batch mixing for the in situ grafting of epoxidized rubber onto cellulose nanocrystals”, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 10, 27, 8743–8753. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c01054
• K.S. Guiao, C. Tzoganakis, and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). “Green Thermo-Mechano-Chemical Deconstruction of Cellulose Fibers for Cellulose Nanocrystal Production by Reactive Processing”, Carbohydrate Polymers, ¬291, 119543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119543
• K.S. Guiao, A. Gupta, C.Tzoganakis, and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). “Reactive Extrusion as a Sustainable Alternative for the Processing and Valorization of Biomass Components”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 355, 131840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131840
• K.S. Guiao, C. Tzoganakis, and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). “Green mechano-chemical processing of lignocellulosic biomass for lignin recovery”, Chemosphere, 293, 133647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133647
• D. Jubinville, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2022). “Simulated recycling of polypropylene and maleated polypropylene for the fabrication of highly-filled wood composites”, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 4, 4, 2373–2383. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01671
• E. Ojogbo, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2021). “Effect of extrusion, batch-mixing, and co-coagulation on the dispersion of CNCs in natural rubber - CNC nanocomposites”, Composites: Part A, 149 (2021) 106580, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2021.106580
• C. Seto, B.P. Chang, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2021). “Lignin derived nano-biocarbon and its deposition on polyurethane foam for wastewater dye adsorption”, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 185 (2021) 629–643, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.06.185
• E. Esmizadeh, B.P. Chang, D. Jubinville, C. Seto, E. Ojogbo, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2021). “Stability of nitrile and vinyl gloves under repeated disinfection cycles”, Materials Today Sustainability, 11-12, (2021) 100067 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtsust.2021.100067
• D. Jubinville, E. Esmizadeh, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2021). “Thermo-mechanical Recycling of Polypropylene for the Facile and Scalable Fabrication of Highly Loaded Wood Plastic Composites”, Composites Part B, 219 (2021) 108873, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2021.108873.
• S. Saikrishnan, D. Jubinville, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2020). “Thermo-mechanical degradation of polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) blends exposed to simulated recycling”, Polym. Degrad. Stab. ,182, 109390 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2020.109390
• E. Esmizadeh, B.P. Chang, D. Jubinville, E. Ojogbo, C. Seto, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2020). "Can medical-grade gloves provide protection after repeated disinfection?", ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2021, 3, 445−454, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c01202
• E. Esmizadeh, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2020). “Degradation behavior of polypropylene during reprocessing and its biocomposites: thermal and oxidative degradation kinetics”, Polymers, 12(8), 1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12081627
• D. Jubinville, S. Saikrishnan, E. Esmizadeh, C. Tzoganakis and T.H. Mekonnen (2020). “A Comprehensive Review on Global Production and Recycling Methods of Polyolefin Based Products and Their Post-Recycling Applications”, Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 25, e00188 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2020.e00188
• H. Eslami, C. Tzoganakis and T. H. Mekonnen (2020). “Constructing pristine and modified cellulose nanocrystals based cured polychloroprene nanocomposite films for dipped goods application”, Composites Part C: Open Access 1 (2020) 100009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomc.2020.100009
• H. Eslami, C. Tzoganakis and T. H. Mekonnen (2020). “Surface Graft Polymerization of Lactic Acid from the Surface of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Application in Medical Rubber Composites”, Cellulose, 27(9), 5267-5284 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03167-w
• X. Zhang, C. Tzoganakis and M. Zatloukal (2020). “Chemical Modification of Poly(1-Butene) Resins Through Reactive Processing”, Polym. Sci. Eng. , 60, 1437-1445 https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.25391
• C. Tzoganakis and J. Visaisouk (2019). “Understanding devulcanization: The path to a circular economy”, RubberWorld, 259(5), 18-23.
• S. Nie, and C. Tzoganakis (2019). “Tailor-Made Controlled Rheology Polypropylenes from Metallocene and Ziegler-Natta Resins”, Polym. Eng. Sci., 59(6), 1114-1121. https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.25089
• P. Sardashti, K. Stewart, M. Polak, C. Tzoganakis, and A. Penlidis, Operational Maps Between Molecular Properties and Environmental Stress Cracking Resistance (ESCR), J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 47006, 2018
• Meysami, M and Tzoganakis, C and Mutyala, P and Zhu, SH and Bulsari, M, Devulcanization of Scrap Tire Rubber with Supercritical CO2: A Study of the Effects of Process Parameters on the Properties of Devulcanized Rubber, International Polymer Processing, 183, 2017
• P. Mutyala, M. Meysami, S. Zhu and C. Tzoganakis, Statistical Analysis of the Compatibilization of Devulcanized Tire Rubber and Polypropylene by Peroxide/Sulphur Curing, GAK Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe, 114, 2017
• R. Yeetsorn, T. Ungtrakul, K. Jariyakun, W. Prissanaroon-Ouajai, and C. Tzoganakis, Thermoplastic Vulcanizates/Recycled Polypropylene Blend for Automotive OEM, Key Engineering Materials, 29, 2017
• Barborik, Tomas and Zatloukal, Martin and Tzoganakis, Costas, On the role of extensional rheology and Deborah number on the neck-in phenomenon during flat film casting, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 1296, 2017
• P. Mutyala, S. Zhu and C. Tzoganakis, A Study on the Compatibilizationof Devulcanized EPDM and Polypropylene (EineStudie zur Kompatibilisierung von devulkanisiertem EPDM und Polypropylen), GAK Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe, 794, 2017
• K. Silpcharu, R. Yeetsorn, N. Kreua-Ongarjnukool, A. Kritanusorn and C. Tzoganakis, Scratch Resistance and Impact Strength of Semi Interpenetrating Networked PMMA and PU with In Situ Produced Silica, Key Engineering Materials, 3, 2017
• P. Mutyala, S. Zhu and C. Tzoganakis, A Study on the Compatibilization of Devulcanized EPDM and Polypropylene (Eine Studie zur Kompatibilisierung von devulkanisiertem EPDM und Polypropylen), GAK Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe, 794, 2017
• P. Mutyala, M. Meysami, S. Zhu and C. Tzoganakis, Statistical Analysis of the Compatibilization of Devulcanized Tire Rubber and Polypropylene by Peroxide/Sulphur Curing, GAK Gummi Fasern Kunststoffe, 114, 2017
• Yeetsorn, Rungsima and Fowler, Michael and Tzoganakis, Costas, Effect of Injection Flow on Conductive Network in Polypropylene-carbon-filler Composite Bipolar Plates, KMUTNB International Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 31, 2017
• Y. Amintowlieh, C. Tzoganakis and A. Penlidis, An Overview of the Potential of UV Modification of Polypropylene, Macromol. Symp., 96, 2016

• US Provisional, 63/147,946, Feb. 10, 2021, “Method and System for Manufacture of Bio-Based Sustainable Polymers”
• US Patent 9,982,099 B2, May 29, 2018 “Method for Modifying Polyolefin to Increase Long Chain Branching”
• CA Patent 2,500,372, June 28, 2011 “Method of modifying crosslinked rubber”
• US Patent 7,247,385, July 24, 2007 “Melt phase hydrosilylation of polypropylene”
• US Patent 7,189,762, March 13, 2007. “Method of modifying crosslinked rubber”
• US Patent 6,114,445, September 5, 2000. “Hydrosilylation of Polypropylene”
• US Patent 5,444,795 August 22, 1995. “Surface Roughness Characterization of Extruded Plastic Products”

• Four professors elected as Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering