MATERIALS

BIOMATERIALS
Tissue engineering, orthopedics and implants

COMPOSITES
Performance, lightweight and multifunctional

POLYMERIC MATERIALS
Lightweight, energy / thermal management and bio

TEXTILE MATERIALS
Biotechnology, smart textiles and advanced fabrics

ADVANCED MATERIALS
High performance, extreme conditions and construction

FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
Energy production, environment and detection
ADVANCED CHARACTERIZATION AND DESIGN OF MATERIALS AND PROCESSES

MULTISCALE TESTING OF MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
Analysis of faults and failure mechanisms, experimental testing of structures, multiscale analysis of mechanical properties of materials and coatings, static/dynamic tests at high temperatures.

CHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION
Advanced characterization of polymers, metals, ceramics and composites. Nanoscale analysis of surfaces and reactivity, corrosion and fire resistance studies, toxicology, microbiology, biofilms and biodegradation. In vitro and in vivo studies of implants.

SIMULATION AND MODELLING
Processing simulation and time optimization, product design and prototyping, simulation of structures and construction processes finite element analysis, computational plasticity and nanomechanics.
DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS

PROCESSING
Light alloys and material matrix composites: powder metallurgy, casting, forging, forming, extrusion and lamination, polymers injection, extrusion, mixing, foaming, additives and recycling metal-polymer hybrids and advanced joining techniques, functional coatings, textiles and composites materials.

MATERIALS PROTECTION AND SURFACES
Coatings for corrosion, wear and thermal protection, thermal/acoustic insulation, fire-retardant polymers, plasma modification for biocompatible/antibacterial surfaces.

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING
3D printing, stereolithography, selective laser sintering, deposition of micro and nanometric layers, nanostructured materials and nanoparticles. Advanced monitoring processes and quality control (spectral technologies, artificial vision).
APPLICATION SECTORS
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
CONSTRUCTION
ENERGY PRODUCTION
HEALTHCARE
TRANSPORT
RELATED PROJECTS
- The project, led by the Paper Engineering Research Group (CELBIOTECH) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), aims to obtain different subproducts from the waste generated during industrial hemp cultivation, also known as hemp fibre. The proposed processes are technologies already used in biorefineries and the paper industry but with different raw materials.
- Microalgae-based wastewater treatment systems have demonstrated the ability to recover nutrients from wastewater and produce valuable biomass for agricultural applications while also recovering energy through the anaerobic digestion of residual biomass. In the Cyan2Bio project, in which the Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology (GEMMA) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) is participating, an additional step will be taken in the valorisation of microalgae biomass to obtain biopolymers suitable for transformation into bioplastics alongside pigments, thereby replacing fossil-based materials.
- The Biological Treatment of Gaseous Pollutants and Odours Group (BIOGAP) at UPC is participating in the BIOMETCRI project, which aims to implement an innovative biotechnological process to recycle batteries from electric and hybrid vehicles, recovering valuable metals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, and manganese.
- The project, led by the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Mechanics (CATMech) research group at UPC, aims to minimise the by-product waste in hemp cultivation through the development of a competitive industrial plant, reduce energy consumption, and increase comfort in buildings through research into innovative insulation panels in bioconstruction.