About Project
The project Inherently Flexible Aerogels for energy efficient structurES (i-FACES) benefits from a € 1 mil grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic within the KAPPA Programme
Project No.: TO01000311
Project Promoter: Technical University of Liberec
Project partners: SINTEF AS, POLPUR, spol. s r.o.
The structure of the project is divided into 5 work packages:
WP1: Synthesis
The objective of this work package is to synthesize the aerogel material based on different polymeric systems that include PP, PVDF, recycled PP, and traditional silica.
WP2: Functionalization
This work package aims at synthesizing the thermochromic functional dyes and integrating them into the structure of the developed aerogels.
WP3: Characterization
This work package is integrated with the former two work packages to feed them with the experimental results required during the synthesis and characterization. The synthesized materials will be characterized for their physico-chemical properties. Most of the chosen characterization techniques are available at our laboratories, as well as through our collaborative agreements with our research and industrial partners.
WP4: Modeling
This work package aims at achieving the understanding of the theory behind: The processing conditions, and guiding the experimental procedures with the recommended levels for processing parameters (especially in the case of supercritical polymeric solutions), The performance of the material in thermal insulation and controlling (maximizing) its efficiency through the structure-property-performance understanding.
WP5: Management
including the project financial, administrative as well as coordinating the project’s team according to the framework
The Team
Stanislav Petrík
Project coordinator
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
Coordination of the project activities
• Lead TUL activities in WP3 for the characterization and experimental testing.
• Contribute to Quality and Risk Managements in the project.
• Experimental planning and intellectual property protection.
Mateusz Fijalkowski
Senior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Functionalization of polymeric systems
• Physical and chemical modification of polymeric system.
Kinga Izabela Adach
Senior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Functionalization of polymeric systems
• Physical and chemical modification of polymeric system.
Radek Coufal
Senior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Polymer synthesis and postmodification, hydrogel processing
Hana Křížová
Senior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Synthesis and utilization of thermochromic materials.
Zuzana Hrubošová
Junior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Project's dissemination media and PR
• Data management
• Functional coatings and surface modification
Linda Frydrychová
Financial Management
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Administrative and Financial Management
Zuzana Andršová
Senior Researcher
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technology and Innovation
• Characterization materials
Christian Karl
Senior Researcher
Sintef
• Characterization of functional polymeric materials
• Recycling of polymers, polymer chemistry and physics, polymers at interfaces, nano composites, material characterization, wetting, tribology
Einar Louis Hinrichsen
Senior Researcher
Sintef
• Model development
• Mechanical properties of polymers
• Rheology
Huaitian Bu
Senior Researcher
Sintef
• Design and synthesize/functionalize aerogel systems.
• Combine chemical (FTIR, NMR) and physical characterization (DSC, TGA, Rheology, mechanical properties etc.) to set up correlation between microscopic structure and macroscopic performance of materials, providing feedback on optimizing design and synthesis procedure.
Frode Grytten
Senior Researcher
Sintef
• modeling
• mechanical properties
• characterization
Jarda POLAK
Precision manufacturing (mostly hard brittle materials), metrology, detectors
Polpur
• Processing, Investigation and tests of applications (metrology, production of high-end optics, application in space based optics)
Ondřej Brustmann
CEO, head of R&D. Main research interest – R&D of tools, processing technologies
Polpur
• Processing, Investigation and tests of applications