Compulsory Subjects:
Applied Kinetics and Chemical Reactors
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Chemical kinetics (homogeneous reaction rate; equations of elementary reaction rate and order of reaction; equations of non-elementary reaction rate, Arrhenius law). Ideal reactor design (ideal batch reactor; ideal continuous stirred tank reactor; plug flow reactor). Design of heterogeneous catalytic reactors. Diffusion and porous catalyst reaction.
Transport Phenomena
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Transport properties. Molecular and convective transport. Integral and differential balances of momentum, energy and mass. Rate, temperature and concentration profiles. Boundary layers. Convective heat and mass transfer coefficients. Correlations.
Thermodynamics of Fluids
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Theoretical framework of thermodynamics of fluids. The natural laws of classical thermodynamics. Generalized relationships and properties. Equivalent representations of the fundamental equation. Pure fluids and mixtures properties. Equilibrium and stability of phases. Chemical equilibrium. Calculation of multiphase chemical equilibrium.
Master’s degree Seminars
Number of credits 2
Syllabus: Introduction, performed by course students, of developed activities so as to formulate a Msc. Dissertation proposal.
Non-compulsory subjects:
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: General principles of catalysis. Theory of physical and chemical adsorption on heterogeneous catalysts. Catalyst preparation methods. Physical and chemical properties of catalysts. Metal catalysts. Semiconducting catalysts. Acid and basic catalysis.
Spectrometry Applied in Chemical Analysis
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Introduction to molecular spectroscopy; Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). UV–visible Spectroscopy (UV-VIS); Molecular fluorescence spectroscopy. Introduction to atomic spectrometry; Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with flame and electrothermal atomization; Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Fundamentals of Bioprocesses
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Fundamentals of enzymatic and fermentative processes. Production of enzymes and cells. Enzymatic and microbial kinetics. Enzyme and cell immobilization methods. Industrial applications of enzymes and microbial cells.
Chromatography methods
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Principles of chromatography methods. Preparation of gaseous, liquid and solid samples. High-performance liquid chromatography: instrumentation (pumps, detectors and injection systems), mobile and stationary phases, types of chromatography systems and applications. Gas chromatography: instrumentation (detection and injection systems), mobile and stationary phases, applications. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupling (GC-MS, HPLC-MS), chiral chromatography; standardization and analytical validation. Conventional electrophoresis; Capillary electrophoresis.
Mathematical and Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Solving linear and nonlinear algebraic equations and systems of equations. Analytical and numerical solution of ordinary and partial differential equations describing physical and chemical phenomena found in Chemical Engineering.
Design of Experiments
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Introduction to the design of experiments. Elementary statistics topics. Fundamentals of factorial designs. Fractional factorials and central composite rotatable designs. Selection of variables. Case studies. Applications in processes of interest.
Biochemical Reactors
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Homogeneous and heterogeneous biochemical reactors. Sterilization methods. Agitation and aeration. Magnification.
Bioproduct Recovery and Purification
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Principles of recovery and purification of bioproducts (RPB). Relevance. Sources. Food characteristics and preparation. Main unit operations. Affinity separations. Strategies for designing the stages of RPB.
Topics on Biopolymers
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Biopolymers: polysaccharides, proteins, polyesters, among others. Characterization methods. Natural sources and production. Modification of biopolymers. Physical and chemical properties of biopolymers used in controlled release systems. Elementary concepts and classification of controlled release system of bioactive agents. Release kinetics. Diffusion. Intumescence. Mathematical models used to determine release mechanisms. Natural polymers used in the development of controlled release systems.
Special Topics 1
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Each term will have its own syllabus.
Special Topics 2
Number of credits: 4
Syllabus: Each term will have its own syllabus.