Thermodynamic studies of interactions in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, with emphasis on calorimetry

• Grant number: 00/06635-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2001
• End date: September 30, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Claudio Airoldi
• Grantee: Claudio Airoldi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Pedro Luiz Onófrio Volpe
• Associated scholarship(s): 07/05914-0 - Complex salts containing hexadeciltrimethylammonium surfactant and different ionic copolymers : phase equilibrium and structural characterization, BP.MS

Abstract

This thematic project involves four researchers and their groups, aiming at improving and widening ongoing research projects on a variety of themes all using calorimetry as the main investigation tool. Part of these studies pursue the investigation of a series of physico-chemical properties of polymers in solid state or in solution, including systems with biological, biochemical and environmental relevance. Their thermodynamic properties will be determined from calorimetric or microcalorimetric experiments and aim at providing, among other results, insights on the characterisation of a series of naturally occurring polymers, sometimes chemically modified, or synthetic materials.Amongst the main aspects to be investigated, one may cite: a) anchoring of organic molecules onto surfaces, b) intercalation in lamellar compounds, c) adsorption onto surfaces of natural and synthetic phyllosilicates and salicilic acids, d) action and metabolism of soil microorganisms, e) quantification and characterisation of acid sites on solids through calorimetric monitoring of gas-solid interaction, f) thermodynamics of macromolecular solutions and g) energetics of microorganisms growth. The common focus of all these studies is the evaluation of thermodynamic properties as enthalpy, Gibbs energy, entropy, thermodynamic equilibrium constants, extents of adsorption and selectivity, aiming not only at the elucidation of the complex processes involved, but also, at the impact these processes may have on a variety of practical situations. (AU)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project