University of Maribor

Vanja Kokol Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Institute for Engineering Materials and Design Smetanova ul. 17

SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia vanja.kokol@um.si

Phone: +386 (0)2 220 7896 Handy: +386 (0)41 715 215

Fax: +386 (0)2 220 7990

the second largest Slovene university, established in 1975, with seat in Maribor and units in other towns

17 faculties plus 2 additional members: Student Dormitories and the University Library

20,026 students in the academic year 2011/2012 (all cycles)

929 higher education teachers and 1800 employees

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University of Maribor

About

• INVENCIJA • EDUKACIJA

• INOVACIJA • APLIKACIJA

scientific research education

IDEA DEVELOPMENT

industry market

PRODUCT

economy

INVENTION the creation of something new

INNOVATION the creation of something new with

new value

UM infrastructural centre

Lab:UM

University of Maribor

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„UM strategies for knowledge transfer“

the establishement of an active system for the transfer and implementation of ideas from UM to its social, economic and geographical environment

Research and Arts Zone of the UM

Mobility programmes

Erasmus – student and staff

Leonardo da Vinci – graduate and first-time job seekers

Erasmus Mundus JoinEU/SEE – student and staff exchange between countries and institutions of the consortium (Central Europe and Balkan countries).

Objective: finding experienced staff, staff training, development of new activities through staff training, exchange of knowledge and experiences

Mobility at the University of Maribor

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Scientific research : EU Framework Programmes

European structural funds and other programmes

mobility programmes (Marie Curie)

national research programmes and projects (Slovenian Research Agency

(ARRS) and Slovenian Technology Agency (TIA))

Competence centres and Centres of excellence

other national and international programmes

Scientific Research at the University of Maribor

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Opportunities for cooperation

• knowledge transfer

• joint research projects

• opportunities for participation in EU projects, such as Marie Curie

• joint financing of top scientists

• cooperation in joint interdisciplinary PhD dissertations (findings that

can be applied to the field of natural sciences, medicine ….)

Scientific Research at the University of Maribor

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Faculties 1. Faculty of Economics and

Business

2. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

3. Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology

4. Faculty of Civil Engineering

5. Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences

6. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

7. Faculty of Law

8. Faculty of Education

9. Faculty of Organizational Sciences

10. Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security

11. Faculty of Medicine

12. Faculty of Logistics

13. Faculty of Health Sciences

14. Faculty of Arts

15. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

16. Faculty of Energy Technology

17. Faculty of Tourism

University of Maribor

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Scientific Research

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Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Institute for Engineering Materials and Design

app. 50 employees / 27 with PhD / 9 full-time researchers / 11 PhD students

Department of Engineering Materials and Design

Study programe, R&D

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Research and Development: Basic and applied scientific research Development research Training of new researchers

Education: Under-graduate (I degree), Post-graduate master (II) and PhD (III) degree concerning: polymers & oriented polymers (fibres, films, foams), polymeric materials, sustainable and advanced materials and technologies as nanotechnology and biotechnology , micro-to-nanostructuring, characterization, materials construction and thermo-physiological, sensorial materials, new analytical tools, environment engineering, according the Bologna Processes

Kay activities available to

students

Services: Supporting industry and SME

s providing service test methods, knowledge and information transfer to IND.

Scientific Research

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Structure (dry state)

Accessibillity/reactivity (wet state; fpH,T)

WAXS, SAXS FTIR/RAMAN spectroscopy XPS, NMR; DSC, porozimetry Optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, AFM Physical-mechanical testing

Surface/interface characteristics (Solid/Liquid, Bulk) Testing of other materials characteristic/functional properties

Study kinetic/thermodynamic mechanism

Spectroscopy (UV-Vis, fluorescence, fosforescence) Chromatography (HPLC-SEC with RI, Uv-Vis, fluorescence detectors) Electrophoresis (CE-3D, SDS-PAGE-2D) Electroanalytical (voltammetry, redox chemistry)

Biochemical processing of polymers, fibers, films, substrates (activation/modification/functionalization/crosslinking)

Titration techniques (reactivity, charge) UV-Vis spectroscopy, Calorimetry Water diffusion / retention Adsorption / desorption (QCM) Tensiometry (contact angel, surface free energy) Electrokinetic measurements (zeta potential) Rheology

Technologies used: preparation of thin films (spin-coating), screen and ink-jet printing, foularding, dip-/roll-to-roll impregantion, T-press filming, 3D scaffolding, ...

Modern antimicrobially active polymeric materials

• use of biopolymers, antimicrobially-active peptides

• biological activity • safe antimicrobial protection

Scientific Research

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Novel wound-dressing materials

Safe silver attachment methods

Development of new methodologies to achieve antimicrobial activity

Scientific Research

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Vascular implants, biocompatibility

PTFE

PET-W

PET

PET-KC EUREKA – Correlation of anti-thrombotic/fibrinolatic capacity of synthetic arterial grafts with their surface properties

Scientific Research

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Scientific research

Cell. nanofibers (CNF) vs. nanowhiskers (CNW)

ϕ = 5-20 nm & l=0,1-3 µm, varying surface area

Top-down

shape/size

engineering

Surface/interface

engineering

• Physico-chemical interface control

• Adhesion / hydrophobization control

• Functionalization control

•Interfacial

compatibility

•Dispersability

Nanocellulose/chitin surface

engineering for hyghly-functional

materials

Bottom-up

engineerin

g

On a surface

In bulk

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Scientific research

Functional membranes/filters with anti/low-fouling surfaces for water purification, through selective adsorption on biobased nanocrystals and fibrils

Targetting industrial water with heavy metal ions, dyes, pesticides, fertilizers etc

Scientific research

250 µm

20 µm

• Development of biocompatible material of porous structures for a more effective integration of implants

• Development of individualized implants through the use of layered technologies

250 µm

10 µm I-----------

--------I

Biomimetic growth of Ca-P crystals (hydroxyapatite) on phosphorylated-CNF

10 µm I-----------

--------I

Native CNF Phosphorylated CNF

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Scientific Research

Processing of biodegradable polymers and composites with supercritical carbon

monoxide

Porous polymer structures for tissue cultures and tissue

engineering

SEM micrograph of a porous polymer matrix

SEM micrograph of a biodegradable polymer matrix

(produced by supercritical CO2)

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Analysis of biomedical images and data LoCoVox algorithm:

• lossless voxel data compression

• expanding and transferring a precisely defined set of data, thus reducing the amount of data to be transmitted online

.LIF file browser:

reviewing of parameters or individual images as well as real-time reviewing of captured series of images

A chart of mean values of the regions of interest (ROIs) determined by the user can be plotted for series of images.

Scientific Research

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Optical sensors for biomedical applications o Miniature optical pressure sensors:

o static and dynamic in-vivo measurements of hemodynamic and other similar parameters

o Non-invasive sensors of vital signs: o studies on sleep patterns etc.

o body fluids composition monitoring

o Bio-chemical sensors o micro platforms for detection by means of evanescent waves

125 m or SiO2 sensor on top of an optical

fibre Cross section of the sensor: thin

membrane ca. 1.5 um

Scientific Research

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Scientific Research

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Projects Center of Excellence: PoliMat Polymer Materials and Technologies, NAMASTE Advanced Materials and Technologies

for the Future

European and international projects:

FP6-2004-SME-COOP-032877-ENZUP Enzymatic Up-grading of Wool Fibres (2005-08), Marie Curie TOK/DEV mobility MTKD-CT-2005-029540-POLYSURF Development of Smart Polymer Surfaces (2006-09, leader), FP6 NMP3-CT-

2005-500375 EPNOE European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence

FP7 NMP3-LA-2008-214653-SurfanCell Nanostructured polymer-matrix composites (2008-12), Marie Curie ITN- STEP Shaping and Transformation in the Engineering of Polysacharides (2008-12), NMP5-LA-2011-280759-NanoBarrier Extended shelf-life biopolymers for sustainable and multifunctional food packaging solutions (2012-15), NMP5-Small-2011-NanoSelect Functional membranes/ filters with anti/low-fouling surfaces for water purification through selective adsorption on biobased nanocrystals and fibrils (2012-15).

Era Net MNT: Vascular Graft Interfaces (2007-10), TABANA Targeting antimicrobial activity via micro/nano-structured surfaces for civil applications (2011-13), n-POSSCOG Nano-polysaccharide containing scaffolds with controlled porosity and degradability (2012-15). Era Net MATERA+: ANTIMICROB PEPTIDES Targeting of material’s antimicrobial activity by newly engineered peptides (2010-13, leader). Era Net MANUNET: NANOWELL Nanostructured functional and active textiles for well-being (2009-2010) COST Actions: 532, 868, FP0602, FP1006 , D36, FA090, FA0901, FA0904 EUREKA E!3602 HIGHTAMPONS Development of new, advanced healthy tampons (2005-08) (leader), E!3654 BIOPOLS Biodegradation of polymeric substrates (2006-09), E!4952 BIOPACKAGING Development of bioactive packaging (2009-12), leader), E!5851 FEVAL Sustainable Materials and Products from Poultry Feather Wastes (2010-13, leader) Bilateral projects with many EU countries, India, USA, Australia, Japan etc