Graduate Program in Chemistry
The aim of the PPGQ is the scientific and technological development, as well as the formation of highly qualified human resources able to work in all branches of chemistry, through a comprehensive and integrated graduate and undergraduate training.
Interdisciplinarity is encouraged in the program through the interaction of professors in different areas of chemistry, through research projects involving more than one line, enabling a multi-area formation. Plural formation in the various areas of knowledge is also encouraged through the program's disciplines and other activities, which cover various Science and Technology topics.
Research lines
(a) Analytical Chemistry:
- Development of Analytical Methods: Development, adequacy and validation of analytical protocols for sample preparation, detection, identification and quantification of organic and inorganic analytes in samples.
- Environmental Analytics and Trace Analysis: To investigate the presence, distribution, transportation, and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants and their effects on environmental matrices.
(b) Physical Chemistry:
- Electrochemistry: Study of the metallic corrosion process and electrochemical synthesis and characterization of conjugated polymers applied in devices.
- Physical Chemistry of Polymers: Synthesis and characterization of polymers with emphasis on protective coatings and optoelectronic devices.
- Theoretical Chemistry: Theoretical study through ab initio and DFT electronic structure methods of thermodynamic, spectroscopic and kinetic properties of molecules, coordination compounds, polymers and chemical processes.
- Catalysis and Kinetics: This line of research focuses on organic physicochemical, encompassing theoretical and experimental methodologies applied to elucidation of reaction mechanisms and evaluation of catalytic properties and reactivity of organic molecules.
(c) Inorganic Chemistry
- Coordination Chemistry: Synthesis, characterization and study of structural, spectroscopic, thermal and photophysical properties of compounds containing transition metal ions or lanthanides.
- Chemistry of Materials and Nanomaterials: Synthesis and Characterization of Metallic Materials and Nanomaterials, Semiconductors, Polymers, Composites and Nanocomposites and Study of their Applications.
(d) Organic Chemistry
- Organic Synthesis and Molecular and Polymeric Systems: Develop synthesis routes of different organic compounds. Asymmetric synthesis using enzymes. Synthesis and Characterization of New N-Heterocycle Ligands: studies on coordination chemistry and their photophysical properties. Hydrozirconation and Hydroalumination of Calcogen Acetylenes. Regio- and stereochemical control in the synthesis of calcogenocetene acetals. Preparation and Characterization of Blends, Composites and Polymeric Materials.
- Renewable Sources and Natural Products: Produce alkyl esters using different fatty acids and alcohols using free or immobilized enzymes in carbon nanotubes and titanate nanotubes. Synthesize biolubricants using refined soybean oil or different fatty acids. Extract and identify components and active principles from plants with biological activities.