Research Fields

Concentration Area: Functional Materials and Renewable Source Polymers

Research Line: Functional and Sustainable Materials

This research line involves the development of sustainable materials, whether from renewable sources or not, such as lignocellulosic materials, starch, chitin, chitosan, using environmentally friendly processes such as green chemistry, biorefinery, recycling (based on the 3R concept – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), utilization of industrial and agro-industrial waste for materials production, energy generation, functional materials, smart packaging, hydrogels, and 3D printing.

Research Line: Natural, Synthetic, Composite, and Nanocomposite Polymers

This research line involves the development of blends of natural and/or synthetic polymers, biodegradable or not, polymeric composites, and nanocomposites. Highlighted polymers include cellulose, chitosan, starch, silk fibroin, collagen, poly(lactic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), aliphatic polyesters, among others. Research on composites and nanocomposites explores synthetic polymers as matrices, such as phenolic resins, epoxies, polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyimides, as well as biodegradable natural and synthetic polymers like thermoplastic starch, poly(lactic acid), cellulose, chitosan, among others. Reinforcement materials range from nanofillers like clays, inorganic oxides, and nanocrystalline cellulose to cellulose fibers (wood pulp, sugarcane bagasse, regenerated cellulose, etc.), plant fibers (jute, sisal, malva, ramie, etc.), and carbon and glass fibers.

Concentration Area: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of Materials

Research Line: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Nanostructured Materials.

The production of nanomaterials has intensified, and nanotechnology has gained increasing prominence in large-scale industrial processes. By organizing structures at dimensions smaller than 100 nm, it is possible to create new materials with technologically relevant properties. Techniques like bottom-up (assembly) and top-down (reduction) methods, or hybrid approaches, are employed to obtain nanostructured materials. Nanotechnology-assisted materials have become part of our daily lives in various fields such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, medicine, biotechnology, and materials engineering. The economic development of these areas can be driven by the design of periodically ordered nanostructured materials, including nanowires, nanotubes, nanopores, nanocomposites, nanoparticles (e.g., quantum dots), nanostructured thin films, and self-organized nanoscale structures used as rheological modifiers and carriers for molecules of interest, such as nanoliposomes, giant micelles, and lamellae. These materials have potential applications in devices used for analyzing liquid or gaseous systems, including optical and electrochemical sensors for detecting analytes of interest in food, pharmaceutical, environmental (including potentially toxic metals), and specific molecules for detecting various types of cancers or other biologically relevant substances.

Research Line: Transformation, Development and Characterization of Metals.

The treatment and transformation of metals typically involve processes like mechanical forming, heat treatment, and surface treatment, which may or may not include non-metallic elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in small concentrations. Therefore, the qualitative and quantitative determination of these metallic and non-metallic elements is of fundamental importance for understanding and improving their properties. Key techniques used for microstructural and surface characterization include optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), among others. In these cases, the study of mechanical behavior, anti-corrosion resistance, and wear resistance is also necessary.