The oral sessions of the Milan Polymer Days International Congress - MIPOL2021, virtual edition, began on the second day of the congress. The program has started at 09.30 AM, with an opening speech by Prof. Elisabetta Ranucci, congress chair, addressed to all the participants. She has once more reminded that the aim of the Milan Polymer Days congresses is to provide an international forum for discussing the results of scientific research in all disciplines of polymer science and technology and that the Scientific Committee welcomes contributions from all these disciplines.

She has also described the structure of the congress, with one entire day dedicated to the poster session and two days to the oral sessions and summarized the technical notes on how to attend the virtual conferences and participate in the general discussion.She has subsequently invited Professor Maria Pia Abbracchio, Delegate Vice-Rector for the Coordination and Promotion of Research of the University of Milan, to give her welcome speech on behalf of the University of Milan. Professor Abbracchio congratulated the congress participants for the interesting topics proposed, which suggest a high-level congress. Circular economy, environmental issues, advanced materials, bioactive materials for the improvement of human health, all these topics are in line with the guidelines of the national and European governments included in the development plans for industrial and economic recovery. She has emphasized that the governmental strategy should not really to return to the pre-pandemic situation, but to learn from the mistakes of the past and pave the way for sustainable development.

The presentations started at 09:50 AM, according to the program. The morning sessions included one short oral communication and six invited lectures with a focus on nanomedicine and the synthesis of complex molecular architectures. The afternoon sessions included two keynotes, four invited lectures and five oral communications. The main topics covered were sustainable nanomaterials from agro waste, nanomedicine, bioactive polymers, synthesis of new polymer architectures, vitrimers, natural antiviral agents, structural biological characterization, characterization of the physical properties of polymers.

The speakers were from different countries, including India, Italy, France, Germany and UK. The presentations ran smoothly and were in any case followed by interesting discussions that involved both the chairpersons and the public. All the topics aroused great interest. The Organizing Committee made sure to connect participants willing to deepen the discussion individually. At around 06:20 PM, at the end of the oral sessions, the congress chair greeted the audience, inviting them to meet again the next day at 9:30 AM.