Cooperation of Gdańsk Tech with a Chemical Giant in Polymer Research

SABIC is one of the largest chemical corporations in the world, a leader among producers of petrochemical products such as polymers, functional materials, fertilizers, and metals. The company operates in over 50 countries across Asia, Europe, and America and employs more than 40,000 people.

The collaboration between the Faculty of Chemistry at Gdańsk Tech and SABIC was established in 2013 and focuses on catalytic processes for the production of polyolefins. These polymers play a key role in everyday life, marked by technical progress and a continuous demand for new materials. Their excellent mechanical and processing properties, as well as relatively low cost, make them the polymers of choice not only for packaging production or the automotive industry but also in specialized applications such as water purification processes and medicine.

Scientists from the Faculty of Chemistry actively participate in research on the synthesis, property investigation, and exploration of applications of a new generation of functional polyolefins. Collaboration with SABIC provides researchers access to the latest technologies and will enable the commercialization of developed materials, including nanoporous membranes, sensors, and polymer miscibility promoters.

The PG-SABIC collaboration model was developed by the late Prof. Jacek Namieśnik, Rector of Gdańsk Tech from 2016-2019, and Prof. Sławomir Milewski, Vice-Rector for Research. The research team representing Gdańsk Tech includes: PhD Eng. habil. Lidia Jasińska-Walc (project leader), PhD Eng. Maciej Sienkiewicz, and two doctoral candidates: Jakub Kruszyński and Mateusz Malus.

Thanks to the agreement, scientists from Gdańsk Tech have the opportunity to conduct research in SABIC's laboratories and research centers worldwide. The cooperation also results in interesting scientific projects aimed at students and doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Chemistry. It is worth emphasizing that they have the opportunity to undertake long-term scientific internships at SABIC. These internships are funded by SABIC, covering scholarships, accommodation, travel expenses, and conference participation costs. So far, three scientists, three doctoral candidates, and twenty-four students from the Faculty of Chemistry at Gdańsk Tech have participated in these internships. Within this collaboration, 4 projects and many commissioned studies have been completed. Further international projects involving Gdańsk Tech scientists and students are planned.