We are pleased to announce that the IPSUM Student and Doctoral Scientific Association of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, operating at the Faculty of Chemistry of Rzeszów University of Technology under the supervision of Professor Paweł Chmielarz, has been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the grant competition for scientific associations. The competition was organised as part of the second edition of the “VIA CARPATIA Polytechnic Network” programme, under Action No. 4, “School of Creative Action”, financed by the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education. The IPSUM Scientific Association was awarded funding of PLN 37,300.
The funds will be used to carry out the research project entitled: “Controlled Functionalisation of Silicon Nanoparticles with PtBA/PAA Polymer Brushes via ARGET ATRP for Applications in Tissue Engineering Materials.”
The main objective of the project is to develop reproducible procedures for obtaining silicon nanoparticles with a precisely designed chemical composition and surface-layer structure. The nanoparticle surfaces will be modified with poly(tert-butyl acrylate) polymer brushes, or PtBA, synthesised through surface-initiated controlled radical polymerisation using the ARGET ATRP method. The PtBA brushes will subsequently be converted into poly(acrylic acid), or PAA. This approach will make it possible to obtain nanomaterials with tunable surface properties, which may provide a basis for further research into advanced materials for tissue engineering applications.
The project team is led by Professor Paweł Chmielarz, who also serves as its scientific supervisor, while Dr Monika Flejszar is responsible for coordinating the research activities. The students directly involved in the project are Lidia Salomon, Jakub Ruciński, Oliwia Cwynar and Gabriela Fus. The project will be implemented from 1 August to 30 November 2026.
This grant represents another important achievement for the IPSUM Scientific Association and confirms the strong commitment of its members to conducting innovative scientific research. We congratulate the entire team and wish them every success in completing the planned research activities!
P.S. Anyone interested in joining the KN IPSUM community is welcome to contact the Association’s supervisor, Prof. Paweł Chmielarz (p_chmiel@prz.edu.pl), or the Chair of KN IPSUM, Agata Hochół, MSc Eng. (d4592@stud.prz.edu.pl). Membership applications are open throughout the year!
More information is available at:
Department of Physical Chemistry News
X - Chmielarz Research Group @Chmielarz_Group
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Kolo.Naukowe.IPSUM
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/crg_ipsum/
