HISTORY

 

Department of Polymer Engineering was established in 2000. It is a successor of the Department of Technology of Organic Synthesis and High molecular compounds (since 1953), one of the oldest departments in the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, whose first head was Prof. Petko Nikolinsky, graduated at Higher Technical School of Munich (Germany), pioneer and creator of Bulgarian rubber industry, follower of Prof. Hans Fisher, a Nobel Prize Winner. From 2003 Head of Department is Prof. Nikolay Dishovsky, Ph.D., D.Sc.

 


Prof. P. Nickolinsky

 

Department of Polymer Engineering consists of two divisions:

 

·        Rubber Division

·        Plastics Division

 

Laboratories  and  Equipment

 

Department has equipment for students training in basic polymer subjects (Mechanics and Rheology of Polymers, Production and Processing of Polymers and Plastics and 4 laboratories specialized in the field of Elastomers: Physical Chemical Tests of Elastomers, Chemistry of Rubber and Ingredients, Elastomers Synthesis and Elastomers Modification. Computers connected to Internet are available as well.

 

Organization  of  Teaching

 

Teaching is organized according to the basic scheme applied at UCTM - lectures, laboratory practice, seminars and industrial practical placements Undergraduate study courses at the Department are included as electives in the curricula of Organic Chemical Technologies and Materials Science. Exams have usually 2 parts - written and oral or test. A 6 grade systems is applied for student knowledge assessment. Passing grade is 3 and excellent is 6.

Master degree applicants should have bachelor degree in Chemistry, Chemical Technology and Engineering or Materials Science. Master and Ph.D. degrees can be obtained after preparing and defending research thesis.

 

Educational  Activities

 

Department teaches Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. degree students in the field of Polymer Engineering and Polymer Materials Science. Department provides knowledge and professional qualifications needed for design and processing of plastic and technical rubber goods used in building and chemical industries, machine-building, electronics, energetic, food and shoes manufacturing and packing pneumatic and solid tyres for automobile and electric truck industries.

 

Ph.D. STUDENTS

 

Department of Polymer Engineering trains Ph.D. students in the following scientific specialties:

 

1.     Chemistry of the high molecular compounds

2.     Technology and processing of plastics

3.     Technology of rubber

4.     Technology of composite materials

5.     Chemical technology of paints, varnishes and adhesives

 

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITY

 

The teaching staffs of Department of Polymer Engineering have worked in various scientific areas of polymer materials science. Some of them are listed below:

·        Modification of elastomers

·        Ageing and stabilisation of elastomers

·        Fillers and reinforcements for elastomers and their modification

·        Rheology of elastomers and rubber compositions

·        Thin and volume rubber coatings with special properties

·        Electro conducting iodine elastomer complexes

·        Rubber composites absorbing UHF electromagnetic waves

·        Study on the specificity and regularity of polymerisation of heterocyclles

·        Calixarenes, polymers of calixarenes – synthesis of new types of calixarene structures, modifications, characterization and use

·        Epoxy oligomers as film forming materials – modification

·        Water borne paints and lacquers – polyester film forming materials

·        Modified phenol formaldehyde olygomers

·        Modification of polymers

·        Plastics processing

·        Filling of polymers

 

International  contacts

 

  • Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, France
  • Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Mulouse, France
  • Institut fûr Allgemeinen Maschinenbau und Kunststofftechnik, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Deutschland
  • Department of Physical Chemistry, Materials Science Laboratory, Institut Quimic de Sarria, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain
  • Sheniang Institute of Chemical Technology, China
  • National Institute of Ocean Technology, Madras, India
  • Department of Physics, Facility of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
  • Institute for Surface Chemistry, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Университет “Мартин Лутър”, Хале – Витемберг, Германия
  • Руски Химикотехнологичен Университет, Москва, Русия
  • Ukrainian State Chemical and Technological University, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
  • Universite de Liege, Centre d’Etude et de Recherche sur les Macromolecules /CERM/, Liege, Belgique
  • Университет “Кирил и Методий”, Скопие, Македония