Robin Kerstens

• 10 december 2020
• 17:00 uur (UTC+1)
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Ing. Jan Steckel
• Online doctoraatsverdediging: Als gevolg van de huidige omstandigheden zal deze doctoraatsverdediging online plaatsvinden, via Microsoft Teams. Gelieve u online aan te melden vóór 8 december 2020, zodat u de link naar de verdediging kan ontvangen 
• Faculteit Toegepaste Ingenieurswetenschappen - CoSys-Lab

Alexandros Margaritis

• 9 december 2020
• 14:00 uur
  
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Wim Van den bergh, Prof. dr. Johan Blom
• Online doctoraatsverdediging: De openbare doctoraatsverdediging zal te volgen zijn via Microsoft Teams. Gelieve vóór 7 december in te schrijven.
  
• Faculteit Toegepaste Ingenieurswetenschappen - EMIB

​Emmanuel Audenaert​

• 24 juni 2020
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Gunther Steenackers (UAntwerpen), Prof. dr. Dirk Vandermeulen (KULeuven) en Prof. dr. Christophe Pattyn (UGent)
  

​Jasper De Viaene​

• 25 mei 2020
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ing. Kurt Stockman (UGent) en Prof. dr. ing. Stijn Derammelaere (UAntwerpen)

Abstract

​Navid Hasheminejad​

• 9 januari 2020
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Cedric Vuye en Prof. dr. Steve Vanlanduit
  

Borig Bogaerts​

• 20 december 2019
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Rudi Penne en Prof. dr. Steve Vanlanduit
  

​Eliane Goossens​

• 13 december 2019
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Filip Lemière en Prof. ir. Marc Wijnants

​Dennis Laurijssen​

• 29 november 2019
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ir. Ing. Walter Daems, Prof. dr. Ing. Jan Steckel en Prof. dr. Steven Truijen
  

​Freek Van Riet​

• 25 oktober 2019
• Promotor: Prof. Ivan Verhaert

Seppe Sels

• 26 september 2019
• Promotoren: Prof. Steve Vanlanduit en Prof. Rudi Penne
  

​Edwin Walsh​

• 14 december 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ir. Walter Daems en Prof. dr. ing. Jan Steckel
  

Ken Vanherpen​

• 4 september 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Paul De Meulenaere en Prof. dr. Hans Vangheluwe
  

​Yorick De Bock​

• 3 juli 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Peter Hellinckx en Prof. dr. Jan Broeckhove
  

Giovanni Litti​

• 30 mei 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ir. Amaryllis Audenaert en Prof. dr. arch. Monica Lavagna
• Departement Bouwkunde
  

Matthias Buyle​

• 25 mei 2018
• Promotor: Prof. dr. ir. Amaryllis Audenaert
• Departement Bouwkunde
  

​Bart Vanrenterghem

• 28 maart 2018
• Promotor: Prof. dr. ing. Tom Breugelmans

​Lukasz Pazdur​

• 23 maart 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. Serge M.F. Tavernier en Prof. ir. Kourosch Abbaspour Tehrani

Abstract

The chemical (related) industry is one of the largest industries in the world. At this moment this industry is mainly petrochemically based. Due to a rising shortage of petroleum and the stress between its function as fuel (source of energy) and its function as raw material (source of chemical building blocks), new strategies are deployed with respect to alternative raw materials that could lead to chemical building blocks.

Oleochemistry (centered on carbon containing molecules from natural oils and fats) seems an interesting way to obtain valuable chemical building blocks. A very interesting point is that it is a natural source of desirable long carbon-chain molecules, which can be further derivatized. The oleochemical approach has however also some disadvantages. A first important issue is the food versus fuel and/or food versus raw material discussion. The second issue is that there is a lack of long chain multifunctional, more specifically long chain α,ω-bifunctional molecules occurring in nature. Yet, such molecules can be used in high-value applications such as biopolymers and biolubricants.

As long chain bifunctional compounds, like α,ω-dicarboxylic acids are not provided by nature in sufficient amounts, it is important to develop a process to obtain these compounds in an environmentally friendly and economically viable way. It is important to design a process with an environmentally friendly catalyst and to optimize the process in such a way that not only edible clean fats/oils are used as starting material but also inedible fats/oils and maybe used oils/fats (used cooking oil).

This PhD work contributes to the valorization of unsaturated renewable materials into industrially relevant products. More specifically, the goal of this PhD work was to realize a sustainable method for the preparation of long carbon chain α,ω-bifunctionalized molecules starting from unsaturated long chain fatty acids and/or their derivatives. Two different methods to produce α – ω long chain building blocks were investigated: (1) the shift of mid-chain double bonds in derivatives of unsaturated (free) fatty acid esters by means of hydroboration-isomerization and (2) the synthesis and derivatization of long chain unsaturated dialkyl ethers.

The largest application of α,ω-bifunctional compounds (short as well as long type) can be situated in the production of biopolymers. Most of said biopolymers are based on polycondensation reactions (polyamides, polyesters, ...). Depending on the chain length of the α,ω-bifunctional compound the amount of polarity can be controlled in the biopolymer that has a polar repeating unit (e.g. ester group) that will be “diluted” with the long apolar hydrocarbon chain. At the moment a lot of apolar (petro)polymers are used that are not biodegradable (PE, PP, etc.). From literature it is found that most of all produced apolar (petro)polymers are not recovered and thus induce environmental pressure. In case long chain α,ω-bifunctional molecules with a high number of –CH₂- groups in the chain could be produced, polymers could be made that could mimic the apolar (petro)polymers. This polyester type “Pseudo-PE” would be degradable and hence will give raise to less environmental pressure.

​Danny Pauwels​

• 6 februari 2018
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Ing. Tom Breugelmans en Prof. dr. Karolien De Wael

​Thomas Dobbeleers​

• 25 januari 2018
• Promotor: Prof. Jan Dries
  

Stijn Verbeke​

• 31 oktober 2017
• Promotor: Prof. dr. ir. Amaryllis Audenaert

Abstract

​Jeroen Peeters​

• 14 september 2017
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ir. Gunther Steenackers en Prof. dr. Joris Dirckx

​Michel Caluwé​

• 27 juni 2017

Abstract

Over het symposium
Tijdens dit symposium worden de laatste academische en industriële ontwikkelen over afvalwaterzuivering toegelicht. Onder andere innovatieve stikstof en fosfaatverwijdering, aerobe korrelvorming, dynamische procesregeling, micropolluenten, grondstof- en nutriëntrecuperatie en lachgasemissie komen aan bod.

Over het doctoraat
Na het symposium kan je de doctoraatsverdediging van Michel Caluwé bijwonen, getiteld: To batch or not to batch? SBR treatment of petrochemical and tank truck cleaning wastewater.

Tijdens dit doctoraat werd onderzoek verricht naar het belang van het voedingspatroon tijdens de biologische zuivering van industrieel petrochemisch- en tank reinigingsafvalwater.

• Kunnen deze types afvalwater gezuiverd worden in een SBR?
• Heeft dit voordelen?
• Wat gebeurt er met de ecotoxiciteit?
• Is dit een veilige set-up?

​Joke Anthonissen​

• 17 mei 2017
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. Ing. Wim Van den bergh en Prof. dr. Johan Braet
  

​Raf Berkvens​

• 27 februari 2017
• Promotoren: Prof. dr. ing. Maarten Weyn en Prof. dr. ir. Herbert Peremans