KVCV Laureates from Universities of Applied Sciences: Three Winners Have Their Say

Morgane Janssens (2019-2020)

I researched mini-emulsion polymerisation in collaboration with NITTO. They currently produce adhesives based on organic solvents, but these are environmentally unfriendly and harmful. I therefore looked for a good alternative in terms of environmental friendliness and end-product performance, and found it in an emulsion-based polymerisation method such as mini-emulsion polymerisation, where the continuous phase is water and no solvents are used.

Achieving polymerisation itself was manageable, but the challenge was to match the properties of the solvent-based adhesive. After a great deal of trial and error, you eventually arrive at the right properties. It was a matter of playing with raw materials and discovering new mini-emulsions, uncovering their characteristics. I did have the disadvantage, however, that my placement fell during the Covid pandemic. For the first ten weeks I was able to carry out practical tests, but after that I had to restrict myself to literature research.

I went straight into work after graduating. I started out doing quality controls at a company now called Sika. But after six months I had grown tired of that. I now do quality assurance for the same company. Amongst other things, I look at ISO standards, optimise production processes, and I also manage the environmental portfolio.

Jens Van der Biest (2020-2021)

I completed my placement and bachelor’s thesis at Eastman Ghent North, where I conducted research into the synthesis of water-dispersible sulfopolyesters. These substances are used as film-formers in products such as hairspray or make-up. The current polymers are not biodegradable, but because they are rinsed away with water, these substances end up in the environment or in water treatment facilities as persistent microplastics. These polymers are also difficult to produce from renewable sources. The aim was to create alternatives that are both bio-based and biodegradable. I achieved this by replacing a number of the monomers — normally derived from petroleum — with bio-based monomers. I then determined their properties, such as glass transition temperature, polydispersity, and so forth.
After graduating, I did a summer job at Eastman, and since I did not want to continue studying (everything had moved online due to Covid), I applied to OCAS, a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region. There I conducted research into the metallography of sheet steel. After about nine months, I wanted to get back to more chemistry, as I missed it there. I eventually ended up at Ajinomoto Bio Pharma Services. Our goal is to scale up supplied syntheses of APIs and intermediates to pilot scale and beyond, and I work there in Process Research and Development.

Gizem Özdemir (2021-2022)

Since I am Turkish myself and wanted to improve my Turkish — particularly the chemical terminology — I looked for a placement in Turkey. I came across a vacancy at Istanbul Technical University relating to natural dyes, a subject I had already researched during my studies, so I applied immediately and was accepted straight away. The research with supervisor Birgül Benli had not yet begun, so I was given the opportunity to choose which direction I wanted to take. After a literature review, I decided to focus on dyes derived from plants. In my case, these were hibiscus, common mallow, turmeric, purple basil, and red onion skins. Using the dyes from these plants, I then set out to determine how effectively they could colour bleached and unbleached cotton. I also looked for natural alternatives to mordants, which bind the dye to the cotton. I created two models, and these showed that even using hibiscus alone, a great many beautiful colours can be produced.

After graduating, I chose to continue my studies and opted for the Master’s programme in Industrial Engineering Chemistry. I am currently still completing my bridging year, but I hope to begin the Master’s programme soon.