Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology

Department was established on April 12, 1922.

About
Research

About

2024 – Assoc. Prof. Audrius Bučinskas was appointed Head of the Department.
2019 – Assoc. Prof. Joana Bendoraitienė was appointed Head of the Department.
2013 – The department was renamed the Department of Polymer Chemistry and Technology.
2011–2019 – The department was again headed by Prof. Juozas Vidas Gražulevičius.
2006–2010 – The department was headed by Prof. Dr. Jolanta Liesienė.
1996 – Prof. Habil. Dr. Juozas Vidas Gražulevičius was elected Head of the Department of Organic Technology.
1991–1995 – The department was headed by Assoc. Prof. Rimtautas Kavaliūnas.
1965 – The Department of Organic Technology continued to be headed by Assoc. Prof. Jonas Zdanavičius, who was replaced in
1972 by Prof. Adolfas Paulauskas.
1951 – The Departments of Organic Technology and Organic Chemistry were merged and later separated again.
1950 – After the establishment of the Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, the Department of Organic Technology became one of its divisions.
1946 – The Head of the Department of Organic Technology became engineer Jonas Venskevičius.
1944 – The department was headed by engineer Vytautas Šukys.
1940 – During the reform of higher education in Soviet Lithuania, Colonel Assoc. Prof. Dr. Juozas Vėbra was appointed Head of the Department of Organic Technology.
April 12, 1922 – The Department of Organic Technology was established to train specialists in chemical technology. The founder and the first Head of the Department was Prof. Jonas Šimkus, the first Rector of the University of Lithuania.

Research

Field of science: N 003 Chemistry, T 005 Chemical Engineering, T 008 Materials Engineering.

Research of Polymers

Modification and application of natural polymers. Dispersion systems, formation of polymer complexes, immobilization of bioactive substances in natural and modified polysaccharides are investigated. Active food packaging materials, micro-contaminants sorbents are being developed. Synthesis of chromatographic sorbents, and their application of protein chromatography, and enzyme immobilization. New materials are being developed for tissue engineering and wound dressings. Innovative cosmetics are also being developed. Improved technology of manufacturing of bioplastic and biocomposite, develop biodegradable plastic products, perform research of formation of biocomposites from natural materials. Developed technologies of less polluting leather processing, solves the problems of using leather tanning waste.

Chemistry of Materials

Synthesis of organic polymeric and small molecule electroactive materials (semiconductors, emitters, nonlinear optics materials), materials for laser writing and 3D optical printing, development, research and application of polymers and polymer composites from natural materials. The focus is on the synthesis and research of photovoltaic cells and bipolar semiconductors and efficient emitters for organic light emitting diodes.

Researchers: V. Andriulevičienė, O. Baniukaitienė, J. Bendoraitienė, R. Butkutė, A. Bučinskas, A. Dabulienė, S. Grauželienė, J. V. Gražulevičius, S. Grigalevičius, R. Keruckienė, G. Kručaitė, D. Liudvinavičiūtė, V. Navikaitė-Šnipaitienė, J. Ostrauskaitė, L. Pečiulytė, R. Rutkaitė, J. Simokaitienė, E. Skuodis, D. Tavgenienė, V. Valeika, D. Volyniuk, M. Čekavičiūtė.

Post-doc: S. Kuppusamy (till 2025).