Home / The University / Faculties / Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy / Education / Master's Degree Programmes / Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy / Major: Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials / Disperse Systems in Chemical Technologies

   

Director:

Prof. Slavka Tcholakova, Ph.D.

Room: L4

Phone: (+ 359 02) 8161 698

E-mail: sc@lcpe.uni-sofia.bg

Fig5_Foam

Qualification description

 

Educational qualification: MSc Program

Period of study: 3 semesters (1.5 years)

Forms of study: regular

 

CURRICULUM

 

Disperse systems (such as emulsions, foams, suspensions, aerosols, porous materials, etc.) are the basis for a number of technological processes and final products for general use. Well-known examples are food emulsions and foams (mayonnaise, sauces, ice creams, mousses, flavored drinks, etc.). Pharmaceutical emulsion and suspensions, cosmetic emulsions and foams (creams, body lotions, shampoos, hair conditioners, foams, etc.), paints for households and industry. With very wide technological application are solid foams which are used for construction materials, also emulsions of liquid-liquid extraction, foams for fire protection and for cleaning of large tanks, ceramic materials as insulators in the production of sanitary ceramics, porous materials as adsorbents and catalyst carriers. But some disperse systems create large problems such as aerosol industrial pollution, oil emulsions, or formation of undesired foam during fermentation and paper production – in these cases we have to find appropriate chemicals (anti-foaming agents, de-emulsifiers) to eliminate unwanted dispersion.

A specific feature for all disperse systems is the highly developed surface that appears between the dispersed and continuous phase. This requires the adsorption of surfactants which stabilize the dispersed particles. In recent years, global trend is the use of natural surfactants (instead of synthetic one) for application in complex disperse systems, involving several phases with different functions in the final product. These systems require a deep understanding of the fundamental laws that control the interfacial adsorption of surfactants, interactions between dispersed particles, the effect of the impact of external forces (electrical, gravitational, inertial) and other processes which determine the stability and properties of the dispersion.

The master program “Disperse Systems in Chemical Technology” has two main aims: (1) students to take a first-hand look on the basic phenomena and processes in disperse systems, on the factors that determine their behavior, and on the methods for control and analysis of these systems; (2) to present the areas of application of disperse systems in modern chemical technologies – pharmaceutical, food, ceramics and so on.

Highly qualified experts from the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering at the faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy are professors in this program. These lectors have many years of experience both in basic research of disperse systems and surfactant solutions, and also in applied research in these areas, sponsored by international companies such as BASF, Unilever, Nestle, Heineken, Kraft, Dow Corning and others. Parts of the lectures are read by foreign experts from the company Unilever which invents and produces a wide range of food and cosmetic products. The training courses include a rich set of practical exercises with modern equipment for characterization of the surface and disperse system properties.

Masters in “Disperse Systems in Chemical Technology” are trained to participate in applied scientific research and basic research; in the development and introduction of new or in improvement of existing technologies; production activities including the preparation, optimization and processing of disperse systems; formulation of cosmetic products, detergents, paints, medicines, food and other products of home and personal care, and in chemical industry; development, improvement, adaptation and application of new and existing methods of analysis and characterization of the properties of disperse systems.

Graduates from the program “Disperse Systems in Chemical Technology” receive educational degree “master” and they could continue their education at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy as Ph.D. students, to work in corporate research institutes, universities, manufacturing companies or to develop their own business in the field of production, processing and characterization of disperse systems for application in cosmetics and household chemistry, food, pharmaceutical and ceramic technology, protection and use of the environment, but also to work in a number of areas requiring training in chemical engineering and/or physical chemistry of the dispersed systems.

Students complete their education with preparation and thesis defense.