Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering aims at designing processes for the transformation of raw materials, chemical products, living cells, microorganisms or energy into useful form and products, with constant attention to optimal use and sustainable use of resources while minimizing environmental impact.

This type of research and development activity is based on a variety of skills: process engineering, physical unit operations, reaction and (bio)reactor design, catalysis, materials science, numerical methods, fluid mechanics, physical chemistry, etc. They require combining the use of experiments and modeling.

In this way, 'Chemical Engineering' is characterized by an integrated methodological approach based on knowledge allowing the development of processes, materials and devices in many fields of application: energy, environment, health, resources, space. The common feature of these applications is the mastery of the kinetics of the phenomena of transfer, transport, and reactions on multiple scales (from nano to macroscopic), without ignoring the coupling between these phenomena, which contribute to their complexity. At the same time the interactions with the environment have to be accounted for including waste management. All the members of the department apply this integrated methodological approach in their respective fields of expertise.

Our research unit consists of 2 research axes:

• NCE - Nanomaterials, Catalysis & Electrochemistry: The NCE laboratory is active in the development of nanostructured materials for various applications such as catalysis, electrochemistry and functionalized coatings. The specificity of NCE's research lies in their transversality, through which materials science and chemical engineering are approached in an integrated way.
• PEPs - Products, Environment, and Processes: The PEPs group is active in the fields of (bio-) chemical reaction engineering, thermal and mechanical unit operations, process simulation, low carbon energy systems and sustainable development. A major strength of the PEPs group is the capability to tackle problems on very diverse scales from molecular to designing entire processes.