The MATERIALS unit focuses on the research and development of advanced materials with innovative applications across various industrial sectors, always with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility. By integrating knowledge from physics, chemistry, and chemical engineering, the team works on the creation of membrane materials and porous materials for separation, capture, and purification processes, with particular attention to energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The unit tackles technological challenges in water treatment, CO₂ capture, the recovery of valuable products, and the production of renewable energy.
Synthesis and design of advanced membranes and optimization of their structural properties (permeability, selectivity, stability, etc.).
Development of sustainable methodologies for material production.
Material characterization techniques: properties and performance (spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, permeability analysis, etc.).
Optimization of material stability under operational conditions.
Optimization of separation and capture processes (CO₂, H₂, water contaminants, etc.).
Bucci, P., Cantero, D., Casas, A., Marcos, E., Menalla, E., Muñoz, R. (2026) Hydrothermal pretreatment of brewer\'s spent grain: A pathway to sustainable biogas production and waste valorization. Biomass and Bioenergy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.108399
Montaluisa-Mantilla, M.S., Lebrero, R., García-Encina, P.A., Muñoz, R. (2026) Elucidation of the mechanisms of VOC removal in botanical filters during indoor air treatment in a test chamber. Building and Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113775
Moldes, D., Requejo, P.F., Vega, M., Bolado, S. (2026) Deep eutectic solvent-based protein recovery from microalgal biomass grown in piggery wastewater. Bioresource Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.133446
Vargas-Estrada, L., Bordel, S., Lebrero, R., Muñoz, R. (2026) Evaluating the experimental CO2 stripping performance of a new generation multicapillary Taylor flow reactor. Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2025.110601
Martínez-Hernando, M.-P., García Álvaro, A., Ruiz Palomar, C., Suárez Rodríguez, M. del C., Bolonio, D., de Godos Crespo, I., García-Martínez, M.-J., Ortega, M.F. (2026) Sustainability assessment of a novel vehicular biomethane production from swine manure compared to conventional techniques. Waste Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2025.115218
