• Introduction.
• Main projects in execution.
• Facilities.
• Members.

Introduction.

During the first five-year period we applied techniques based on the sol-gel transition method to prepare or to modify new materials. The main objective was directed towards obtaining mesoporous oxides that could work as supports for catalysts used in the heterogeneous polymerization of olefins. To control the porosity and the morphology of the particles, structure-directing agents were used: mainly biopolymers like chitosan and gelatin. In this way, hybrid materials were generated and later transformed in the porous materials of interest. In the last stage of the first five year period, with the incorporation of a group specialized in catalysis, the methods developed were applied to obtain the appropriate materials for other catalytic processes; especially for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons. The materials synthesized in our laboratory possess, in some cases, characteristics similar or superior to those prepared by other research groups in the world. The next step is, therefore, the optimization of these characteristics to make them applicable in commercial processes. Additionally, the group expanded the research to the field of Air Pollution Control. In this area, in collaboration with ibero-american researchers involved in the CYTED project, the CIMAT group has achieved the synthesis of a catalyst having high activity and selectivity for the reduction of NO_x with CH₄ in excess of oxygen. It is important to emphasize that currently there is no commercial technology for this process. For this reason, we can say that our investigation is at the forefront of the development of a commercial catalyst. The following step in this area is to support the catalyst on a commercial monolith to finally achieve a prototype that could be tested in a pilot plant.

The Laboratory of Polymerization of Olefins has achieved important progresses in processes of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis for obtaining polyethylene and polypropylene with “tailor made” characteristics. Moreover, new polyolefins derived from copolymers containing alpha–olefins with elastomeric properties have been developed recently. Now, it is our interest not only to consolidate the current advances but also to investigate the improvement of mechanical properties of polyolefins through the introduction of loads coming from non-conventional sources and through the investigation on the effect of using nanoparticles. Because the laboratory is recognized internationally in the area of polymerization of olefins it has been visited by many young graduate students from abroad, in order to learn about the polymerization and also as they prepare their own Polymers for their Ph.D. Thesis.

With respect to the external medium, given the great number of collaboration that we have developed, we can now extend our work to areas that are of great interest like the modification of support with Sesquisiloxanes (work in collaboration with R. Williams in Argentina). Excellent results have come from this collaborations. Also nanocomposites and membranes coming from the Homo and Copolymer of Polypropylene synthesized with our own Catalyst and Process offer a very exciting field for future development.

The preparation of silica nanoparticles and other ceramics oxides with predetermined morphology are also a challenge that we have thought about for the next years. We expect to use these nanoparticles as functional loads in polyolefins to modify their mechanical properties. On the other hand, by taking advantage on the developed expertise for the preparation of hybrid materials, these were obtained as nanostructured films with a high compatibility between the organic and inorganic phases. It was possible to get transparent films, of variable flexibility and with adhesive properties potentially useful as special coatings. Recently we begun to study these films as matrix or substrate for the biomineralization of salts such as calcium carbonate in collaboration with the group of J.L.Arias, and this theme will also be developed during the next period.

New materials with catalytic properties: Research in this area will be driven by the perspective of applications in fuel production, such as the catalytic cracking of oil and hydrogen production for fuel cells, applications in air pollution control, and applications in polymerization. Theoretical studies, including dynamic Monte Carlo simulations, will be started to complement the experimental capabilities of this group.

Facilities.

• SORTOMETER - Micromeritics ASAP 2010.
  Determines the surface area, volume, size and pore distribution of solid materials.
  
• HIGH - TEMPERATURE GEL PERMEATION CHROMATOGRAPHY (GPC), Waters Alliance 2000.
  Determines the Molecular Weight and its distribution in polymers soluble at high temperatures (130-150 ºC).
  
• POLYMERIZATION UNITS - Reactors for development of catalytic reaction and polymerization at high temperatures and pressures.
• REOMETER - BRABENDER PLASTICORDER - Study of the rheological properties of polymers. Study of mixtures and compounds.

Members.

• Raúl Quijada, principal investigator.
• Jaime Retuert, associate investigator.
• Mehrdad Yazdami-Pedram, associate investigator.

Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile. Av. Blanco Encalada 2008, piso zócalo, Santiago, Chile. Phone (56 2) 678 48 55.