Berrocal, José Augusto
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)
Department Chemistry of small molecules and macromolecules to build functional materials potentially applicable to sustainable development
City Tarragona
Keywords
Research interests
I have conducted interdisciplinary research at the interface of organic and polymer chemistries, focusing on:
1. Polymer mechanochemistry and heterolytic mechanophores based on the triarylmethane scaffold. This independently conceived idea introduced triarylmethane derivatives as a new class of mechanophores, leading to my group’s first publication in polymer mechanochemistry. The fundamental novelty of our work and approach has been enthusiastically received by the chemistry and materials community.
2. New strategies for polymer upcycling/recycling. We have developed methods to upcycle polyurea waste using inexpensive, commercially available chemicals, as well as strategies to favor the closed-loop recycling of sustainable plastics comprising vinylogous urethane bonds. Along the lines of sustainable development, we made tough and recyclable polymer networks leveraging supramolecular interactions. Additionally, we have designed and patented polymer sorbents for CO₂ capture in collaboration with an industrial partner (Climeworks AG).
3. Artificial muscles from colloidal nanoparticles grafted with stimuli-responsive polymers. This research line is supported by an EIC Pathfinder grant (consortium-based) and aims to develop 3D printable prosthetic implants powered by metabolic energy rather than external batteries, which is expected to boost a disruptive change in biomedicine. We lead the preparation of so-called artificial muscles comprising aligned colloidal nanoparticles grafted with stimuli-responsive polymers. Although this is the youngest research line of my group, we already have very promising results, with three manuscripts in preparation.
My activities have been recognized by a number of prestigious awards, such as the 2025 PMSE Early Investigator Award (American Chemical Society), the 2024 "Outstanding Young Investigator in Polymers" Award (Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry), and the 2023 Thieme Chemistry Journal Award (from Thieme).
