Technical Chemistry
Europe and the rest of the World share the common objectives of providing abundant, clean, secure and affordable energy, whilst simultaneously achieving substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the potentially serious consequences of climate change. The focus of the research and demonstration actions in these efforts will be on accelerating the development of integrated Biorefining and Energy Technologies towards cost-effectiveness in line with the goals for sustainable development, for Europe (and world-wide) and ensuring that Nordic and European industry can compete successfully on the global stage.
Laboratory of Technical Chemistry is methodologically oriented within the fields of industrial chemistry, technical bioengineering, sustainable development and chemical reaction engineering. With this we mean industrial production by means of chemical reactions, treatment of mathematical models and projecting of chemical reactors, implementation of novel reaction concepts for efficient industrial implementation of chemical reactions as well as development of future sustainable products and processes: the mission is to develop molecular process technology and sustainable chemical processes and products of 21st century. Technological break-through concepts are expected via deep understanding of industrial processes on molecular level. Central areas of competence for the laboratory are heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysis, chemical kinetics and modelling of chemical reactors. Current international trends in catalysis involve e.g. sustainable production from renewables, nano-catalysis and cascade catalysis (combination of several reaction steps, including enzymatic catalysis in a single step). The laboratory intends to be active in all above mentioned fields.
The laboratory has two professors, Prof. Leif Jönsson (Technical Bioengineering, Enzymatic Processes) and Prof. Jyri-Pekka Mikkola (Sustainable Development, Technical Chemistry).
A few central research interests are enlisted below:
- - Molecular engineering in enzymatic and heterogeneous catalysis
- - Chemicals and fuels from renewable resources
- - Complex reaction engineering
- - Process and reaction intensification
- - Green technology for sustainable development
- - Tools and methodology for process and product technology
Publication of the scientific results is carried out in high-class international journals such as e.g. Journal of Catalysis, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research and Green Chemistry.
Financing of the research is strongly bound to national and international sources. To mention some of the most important, Kempe Foundations, Swedish Research Council, Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova), private industrial enterprises and European Union.
The laboratory is a unit with strong international atmosphere, a multi-cultural environment integrated within the KBC (Chemical-Biological Centre) -environment, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Umeå University (UMU). The lines of personal politics are characterised by openness, respect for individualism, creativity and enthusiasm.
As a new research direction recently introduced in the scope of Umeå University Department of Chemistry, it is crucial to develop synergy and collaboration within the KBC –environment, share knowledge, equipment and instrumentation resources as well as expertise. Moreover, the laboratory has started the process to acquire and develop the necessary laboratory-specific infrastructure in line with the demands of development of industrially feasible processes and concepts.
Moreover, the laboratory of Technical Chemistry has a strategic partnership with the laboratory of Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering, Åbo Akademi (ÅA) Process Chemistry Centre (PCC) which is one of the National Centres of Excellence in Finland combining the fields of catalysis, kinetics, biomaterial sciences, electrochemistry, inorganic material sciences and chemical engineering. Process Chemistry Centre (PCC), comprises the units of Kinetics and Catalysis (Industrial Chemistry), Wood and Paper Chemistry, Combustion and Materials Chemistry and Process Analytical Chemistry. The laboratory of Technical Chemistry (UMU) has via collaborative research initiatives access to the well-developed equipment and instrumentation facilities at ÅA.
En atmosfärisk glasreaktor med HCl tillförsel samt ett ’pumpbatteri’ för kontinuerlig operationssätt.
