Research Main research areas of EgiChem
Supercritical Fluid Extraction
EgiChem has been working with supercritical fluid extraction technology within the scope of biorefinery, where biomass residues are characterized and extracted aiming at their valorization. This research areas also involves modeling, simulation, scale-up and economic evaluation studies.
Valorization of multilayer plastic packaging waste
EgiChem, in collaboration with Professor Ana Barros-Timmons, has been exploring alternative methods to recover polymers and monomers from multilayer plastic packaging waste. This research focuses on techniques such as dissolution-precipitation, delamination, and chemical depolymerization using liquids and supercritical fluids.
Transport Properties
Research covers transport properties through the measurement and modelling of diffusion coefficients. Some of the best models currently found in literature for correlation and prevision of diffusion coefficientes were published by EgiChem researchers.
Simulated Moving Bed
SMB is a continuous chromatographic separation technique. EgiChem focuses on the purification of compounds with pharmaceutical interest, and in the development of the SMB process and its optimization strategies.
Molecular Dynamics
EgiChem, in collaboration with Dr. José R.B. Gomes, have been studying diffusion properties of diverse molecules by classical Molecular Dynamics simulation. The GROMACS package has been used coupled with the most accurate force fields, such as OPLS and EPM2 in the case of supercritical carbon dioxide.
Characterization and Purification of rCB
EgiChem, in a partnership with BB&G-AWES, has been involved in the study of recovered carbon black (rCB) formed during the pyrolysis process of end-of-life tires. Characterization techniques have been applied to determine physical, chemical and morphological properties of this material. Purification methods have also been evaluated in order to meet the market specifications.
Ion Exchange and Adsorption
EgiChem research has mainly covered the issue of water pollutant removal through modeling and measurement of heavy metals removal from water solutions with the aid of titanosilicate materials.
Modeling and Simulation
EgiChem possesses solid competencies on modeling and simulation, including mechanistic modeling of equilibra and mass transport phenomena and machine learning based approaches, mainly supported by MATLAB and Python software developed in-house. Simulation and optimization of case-study or real industrial processes has also been done with resort to Aspen Plus.
Zeolitic Heat Exchangers
EgiChem models and simulates the four steps of the cyclic adsorption-desorption process (isobaric adsorption, isosteric heating, isobaric desorption, isosteric cooling), in order to evaluate the behavior of the systems and optimize the heating/cooling performance. This work is done in collaboration with Dr. Anabela Valente.
Degradation of Insulating Materials
EgiChem, in partnership with EFACEC, has been analyzing the degradation of insulation materials present in transformer oil. This study involves the preparation of accelerated aging tests and the use of GC, HPLC, and other physicochemical analysis to assess transformer oil quality. This work is done in collaboration with Dr. Mário Simões.
Synthesis and characterization of zeotype materials
EgiChem, in collaboration with the group of Professor João Rocha, works on the synthesis and characterization of zeotype materials for several applications in ion exchange, membranes, adsorption and catalysis.
Air Purification
EgiChem, in partnership with Bosch, has been working on air purification technology, developing and testing new materials to adsorb contaminants from air. An experimental apparatus was developed to test the adsorption and regeneration capacity of several adsorbents. The results obtained are later used in the simulation of a PTSA (Pressure - Temperature Swing Adsorption) in order to simulate a real air purifier with regenerable adsorbent.
Extraction and characterization of vegetable biomass
EgiChem team has skills on studying vegetable biomass from the very first steps of obtaining an extract and performing its characterization. Analytical techniques such as GC-MS and HPLC can be employed for this purpose, and the closeness to agroforestry chemistry partners is an advantage.
Oligomerization
Catalytic reaction has been addressed by EgiChem researchers, in collaboration Dr. Anabela Valente, through the synthesis and characterization of catalysts for applications such as the oligomerization of light alcenes to diesel.