Chemistry Postgraduate Program

 

RESEARCH

SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS Developement of analytical methods by absorption spectrometry, atomic emission and fluorescence and induced coupled plasma mass spectrometry for determining trace elements in biological, industrial, geological, clinical samples, etc. Direct analysis of solid samples. Solid suspension samples analysis. Chemical generation of vapor. X-ray fluorescence spectrometric analysis.

BIOINORGANIC Study of the role of metals in biological process and metabolism of living beings and its distribution and presence in metaloenzymes and metaloproteins. Classification and functions of metaloenzymes and metaloproteins. Catalytical activity and applications as drugs and on clinical diagnosis.

BIOSENSORS Developement and application of electrochemical sensors. Use of nanostructured materias on sensor assembly. Enzymatic biosensors. Bioinspired sensors. Immunosensors.

CATALYSIS Characterization and properties of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. Synthesis and characterization of catalytical properties of metallic nanoparticles. Size, shape and composition controled synthesis of nanoparticles. Metal and metal nanoparticle catalysis. Environmental friendly nanocatalyst developement: Green and sustainable chemistry. Mechanism and selectivity studies on organic reactions. Molecular recognizement and organized systems studies. Synthesis, characterization and catalytical study of coordination compounds and d-block organometallics. Thermal and excited state reactions. Computational calculations on organic reactions.

HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS New fuel generation from biomass (ethanol, vegetal oils): H2, synthesis gas, biodiesel; total oxidation of BTX (benzene, toluene, xylene) and parcial oxidation of monoterpenes (pinenes, limonene). Preparation and characterization of heterogeneous catalyst for achievement of differently nanostructured materials. Synthesis and characterization of electrocatalysts applied to fuel cell reactions.

SELECTIVE COMPLEXATION OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES Selective complexation of humic substances studies. Characterization of complexation equilibria with divalent and trivalent metal ions.

BINUCLEAR MACROCYCLIC COMPLEXES Binuclear complexes synthesis acting as simples molecule receptors as O2, NO, chatecol and aromatic amines by activation. EPR macromolecule ligand properties and kinectic studies.

COORDINATION COMPOUNDS Investigation in inorganic and biological chemistry: kinetics, electrochemistry, mechanisms and equilibrium studies of inorganic complexes and enyme models.

LIQUID CRYSTALS   Synthesis, strucutral characterization and physical properties study of liquid cristals: 1) functional liquid crystals molecular planning; 2) dendrytic liquid crystals; 3) metalomesogens; 4) functionalized advanced organic materials: photoactives, semiconducing, light emitting and fluorescent probes.

STRUCTURAL DETERMINATION OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS Molecular and crystaline structure determination and characterization of organic and inorganic compounds by X-ray diffraction.

CHARGED SURFACE EFFECTS ON CATALYSIS OF ORGANIC REACTIONS Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. The study of homogeneous systems focus on developement of catalyts for phosforic and carboxylic esther and amide hydrolysis. On heterogeneous catalysis the aim is the planning and characterization of solids as catalysts for olefin hydrogenation and organophosforous compound degradation. Developement of micro heterogeneous  focused on metal nanoparticles in aqueous solution applied to reactions of industrial interest. Physicochemical characterization of colloid systems and investigation of fluorescent probes properties therein.

ELECTROANALYTICS Developement and validation of electroanalytical methods for determining organic products and trace elements in environmental, biological, pharmaceutics and food interest samples. Related topics: 1) chemically modifyed electrodes; 2) printed electrodes; 3) molecularly printed electrodes; 4) hybrid polymers; 5) nanostructured materials; 6) amperometric and voltametric electrodes; 7) biosensors.

EXTRACTION AND PRE-CONCENTRATION IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Developement and applycation of extraction techniques for determining trace elements or organic compounds in diverse samples. Solid phase extraction. Liquid-liquid extraction. Microextraction techniques developement.

PHOTOCHEMISTRY Synthesis of novel photoactive compounds, photocatalysis, photomedicine, photoelectrolysis and electronic structure theoretical studies. Photochemical vapor generation applied to elemental analysis.

ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY OF COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS Identification and characterization of biomarkers from aqueous and land origin in coastal environment. Studies concerning paleoclimate variation from geochemical biomarkers. Analytical methods for determining pesticides in coastal envirnments and classification of solid wastes.

INTERFACE CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS Studies of chemical processes on the interface between metal oxides and aqueous solutions. Studies on the behavior of metal ions in aqueous solutions. Studies of corrosion processes on metal surfaces. Study of anticorrosive coatings.

CHROMATOGRAPHY AND CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS BASED ANALYTICAL METHODS Chromatograpy and electrophoretic technique based method developement. Method optimization using computational simulation. Use of electrophoretic techniques for determinations of partition coefficients, protein interactions and complex formation. Separation techniques applied to drug analysis, functiontal foods, vegetal extracts and biofuels. Developement and validation of analytical methods employing capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Developement and application of multiple injection strategies in order to increase of analytical frequency.

NANOTECNOLOGY, SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND NEW MATERIALS Synthesis and characterization of novel families of conjugated systems featuring electron donating and accepting groups to applied as perichromic dyes and assembly of supramolecular optical devices potentially employed on optic detection systems of cationic, neutral and anionic analites, light conversion devices and organic optoelectronic devices. Invertigation of the behavior of the sinthesized dyes in pure solvents, sulvent mixtures and supramolecular systems. Chemical species detection devices assembly for analytics, in agreement with supramolecular and materials chemistry basis.

ORGANIC OPTOELECTRONICS AND ANISOTROPICAL SYSTEMS  Study of phisicochemical aspects of novel materials, more specifically for study of organic anisotropic systems as liquid crystals, polymers/elastomers and luminescent organic molecules, as well as its application in optoelectronic devices such as OLEDS, OFETS and OPVs. Biological materials are also investigated for applying as biosensors and bioactive systems.

POLYMERS AND COLLOIDS Research developement related to the following: 1) Self-association of macromolecules in solution; 2) Interaction phenomena between anionic surfactant and synthetic polymers, proteins and cellulose; 3) Achievement and characterization of micro and macroscopic properties of polymer alloys using synthetic polymers, polyelectrolites and biopolymers for application as semipermeable membranes or proton conducing and food storage films; 4) Micro and nanoencapsulation of molecules of food or drug interest with biocompatible and biodegradable polymer materials; 5) Preparation and characterization of oligosaccaride charged nanoparticles; 6) Achievement of biopolymer nanofibers through electrospinning; lyophylic and lyophobic colloids with polymer systems; 7) Study of light scattering (SLS/DLS) and X-rays (SAXS) in polymer systems; 8) Synthesis and characterization of polymers and relateds applyed to corrosion protection in metallic materials

ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY AND INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS Chromatographic and spectrometric method developements for determining pollutants, speciation analysis, extraction and analysis of compounds in diverse environmental samples (water, soil, sediment, wastewaters, air and sewer). Monitoring processes and/or pollutant control. Chemometrics applied to analytical chemistry.

CHEMISTRY OF ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS Synthesis and characterization of organometallic compounds, applications in catalysis and medicinal chemistry.

MATERIALS CHEMISTRY Synthesis of novel materials from organofunctionalization of silicon matrix; synthesis, characterization and application as adsorbents of metal ions and other compounds that acts as endocryne disruptors. Studies of magnetic nanoparticles stabilized with natural polymers, complexation of divalent metals.

MELANINE CHEMISTRY The effect of metal ion coordination on aggregation and on melanin structure related to reactivity and pro or anti oxidant behavior.

NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY Study of medicinal plants with biological activity. Chemistry, structure and bioactivity of natural products. Biomimmetic transformations. Synthesis of pharmacologic relevant natural products. Isolation, structure and biological activity of active principle of medicinal plants.

CHEMISTRY OF PLASMA Developement and application of cold plasma reactors. Study on degradation of liquid pollutants by cold plasma. Study of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts coupled to cold plasma systems for pollutatn degrading. Study on interaction of cold plasma applied over or inside a liquid phase. Study on molecular gas discharges inducing surface modification. Developement of technology for chemical waste treatment by plasma.

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE CHEMISTRY INTERFACE Synthesis of biologically active compounds and evaluation of biological activity of organic, inorganic and molecular hybrids. Activation and synthesis of organic molecules in biological systems. Developement of coordination and organometallic compounds and its applications on medicinal chemistry.

PREBIOTIC CHEMISTRY Study on the interaction between electric discharges and minerals. Study on adsorption os molecules over mineral surfaces of prebiotic relevance. Synthesis of biomolecules by electric discharges unde prebiotic conditions.

COMPUTATIONAL AND QUANTUM CHEMISTRY Electronic properties of organic systems, organometallics, transition metal complexes, supramolecules and mechanochemicals. Description of unusual bonding situations and reactivity in different types of molecular, supramolecular and mechanochemical systems.

SOLID-GAS INTERFACE REACTIONS Reactions on the solid-gas interface: mechanism of reduction reaction of SO2 by carbons and isoelectronic series (ozone, nitrogen dioxide). Chemical and photolytical functionalization of carbon species (graphite, graphene oxide, activated carbon, nanotubes): mechanims of organic fragments insertion and reactivity of inserted intermediates on carbon species surface.

SYNTHESIS AND REACTIVITY OF INORGANIC COMPLEXES Synthesis of coordination compounds and study of its biological activities and/or catalytic employing different techniques: EPS, NMR, ESI(+)-MS, kinetics, etc.

ORGANIC SYNTHESIS Heterocyls  and potentially bioactive and phamacologic molecules synthesis. Developement of green synthesis methods. Synthesis and evaluation of organoselenium and organotellurium compounds as key intermediates for drug preparation, enzyme mimmetics, agriculture pest controllers, chiral catalysts for enantioselective reactions and/or building blocks moieties. Reactivity of functionalized substances and three-membered rings. Reactions conduced by microwave reactor studies. Applied catalysis on preparation of biological relevant compounds.

SAMPLE PREPARATION TECHNIQUES Use and inovation of modern techniques of sample preparation with detection by mono and/or bidimensional gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and atomic spectroscopy in analytics. Direct analysis of solids and suspensions for determining trace elements.