Historic
In the ’80
Creation of the research group GRTPC
Professor Esteban Chornet created a research group called GRTPC (Group of Researches on Technologies and Processes of Conversion) whose mission was dedicated to fundamental and applied research in chemical/catalytic valorization of various types of biomasses. This group became a world reference regarding the development and application of scientific and technical/technological knowledge in this area..
At the end of the ’90
Professor Nicolas Abatzoglou
Professor Nicolas Abatzoglou, who studied in this group, co-directed the GRTPC an then assumed the full responsabilities of director after Professor Esteban Chornet's retirement.
From year 2000
The beginning of pharmaceutical processes
Professor N. Abatzoglou added a new dimension to the group by creating a pharmaceutical division. His knowledge in thermocatalytic conversion processes engineering involving divided solids (powders and granules) constituted the base of a collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Wyeth, which was bought by Pfizer in the 2010's. This collaboration led the the creation of an Industrial Research Chair financed by Wyeth and subsequently Pfizer between 2008 and 2021. In 2009, Professor Ryan Gosselin, a specialist is myltivariate statistical analysis, chemometrics and spectral imaging, joined the group and served as co-Chair between 2018 and 2021.
This opening of the group in pharmaceutical engineering lead to a new name : Group of research on Technologies and Processes of Conversion and Pharmaceutical (GRTPC&P).
Today
New Name
The addition to the group of the plasma section and of the new Chair in intensification led to a new name : Group of researches on Technologies and Processes (GRTP).
New Projects
In parallel to this new activity Professor N. Abatzoglou has developed several other projects in the thermocatalytic field. In particular, he has set up most of them with the collaboration of industrial and/or institutional partners; i.e.:
- Projects for the development of new heterogeneous catalysts for all types of catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons aiming at the production of hydrogen and the production of synthesis gas.
- Catalytic projects for the synthesis of green liquid fuels through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
The group has participated in several structuring efforts; e.g.
- SOFCNET Center of Excellence: it has played a leading role in the catalytic conversion of diesel for use in solid electrolyte fuel cells.
- Biofuelnet Center of Excellence: has acted as the coordinator for catalytic processes.
And currently projects such as on the production of nanocarbons from non-recyclable plastic waste/residues and (b) pyrolysis of industrial plants used for the decontamination of metal contaminated soils for their capture and production of renewable fuels.
The latter efforts on thermocatalytic processes were carried out in collaboration with Professor François Gitzhofer, an internationally renowned specialist in the field of plasma materials and processes, and Professor Inès Esma Achouri, who has just been awarded an NSERC Tier 2 Chair on process intensification.