Raquel V. Barrulas International Solvent Extraction Conference 2025

Raquel V. Barrulas

I hold a Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Universidade do Algarve (2014) and a second Master's in Bioorganic Chemistry from Universidade Nova de Lisboa (2019). In September 2019, I began my PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, with research focused on the design and tailoring of porous materials, organic chemistry, and the application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study molecular interaction processes - particularly in ionic liquids and poly(ionic liquids). My scientific journey began in January 2018 when I joined the NMR lab at i3N|CENIMAT, contributing to the CleanART project. I subsequently participated in the GREENPILs4CO2 project and in Petrobras’s 'Suporte de Líquidos Iónicos' project. Throughout my academic career, I have presented my research at various national and international conferences, with 8 poster communications and 7 oral presentations as first author. I was awarded Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grants under the AERoGELS COST Action CA18125 in 2020, 2021, and 2022. As a member of the COST Action network, I collaborated with both national and international institutions, including Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Prof. Dr. Carlos A. García-González – aerogel production and processing), Universidad Jaume I (Prof. Dr. Victor Sans – CO₂ cycloaddition in continuous flow), and Universidade de Évora (Prof. Dr. Manuela R. Carrott – CO₂ capture). Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Twente (Netherlands), where my work is centered on the extraction and purification of bioplastics from complex matrices. This research integrates advanced separation techniques with sustainable processing strategies, aligning with my long-standing interest in molecular-level interactions and functional materials. My multidisciplinary background - spanning NMR spectroscopy, ionic liquids, and materials science - provides a unique perspective on developing greener, more efficient extraction processes for next-generation bio-based materials.