Isabel Fernandes graduated in Chemical Engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB) in 2003, and obtained her Master degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering also at Polytechnic Institute of Bragança in 2008. In 2017 she completed her PhD degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering - University of Porto, under the theme New Footwear Materials Based on Polyurethanes and Polyureas. Since 2004, she has been working as researcher in several I&D projects, involving the LSRE-LCM, the Portuguese Footwear Technological Center (CTCP) and companies of the footwear industrial sector. Her main research interests are the development and characterization of polyurethane materials, namely biodegradable thermoplastic and microcellular polyurethanes; synthesis and characterization of water-based poly(urethane-urea) adhesives and coatings; biodegradable polyurethanes and biodegradability evaluation; microencapsulation of natural and bio-based compounds for several applications (cosmetics, textile, food and leather coatings) and antimicrobial activity evaluation.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Development of polyurethane materials with special interest on high performance footwear applications
Biodegradation of polyurethanes
Synthesis of aqueous poly(urethane-urea) dispersions
Microencapsulation with application in different industrial fields

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

A. Santamaria-Echart, I.P. Fernandes, A. Saralegi, A., M.R.N. Costa, M.F. Barreiro, M.A. Corcuera, A. Eceiza. Synthesis of waterborne polyurethane-urea dispersions with chain extension step in homogeneous and heterogeneous media. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 476, 184-192, 2016 I. Rached, L. Barros, I.P. Fernandes, C. Santos-Buelga, A.E. Rodrigues, A. Ferchichi, M.F. Barreiro, I.C.F.R. Ferreira. Ceratonia siliqua L. hydroethanolic extract obtained by ultrasonication: Antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds profile and effects in yogurts functionalized with their free and microencapsulated forms. Food and Function, 7, 1319-1328, 2016 I.P. Fernandes, M. Barbosa, J.S. Amaral, V. Pinto, J.L. Rodrigues, M.J. Ferreira, M.F. Barreiro. Biobased additives as biodegradability enhancers with application in TPU-based footwear components. Journal of Renewable Materials, 4, 47-56, 2016 I.P. Fernandes, M.R.P.F.N. Costa, M.J. Ferreira, M.F. Barreiro. Water-based poly(urethane-urea) dispersions - meeting the European Union legislation. Polimery, 60, 536-540, 2015 I.P. Fernandes, J.S. Amaral, V. Pinto, M.J. Ferreira, M.F. Barreiro. Development of chitosan-based antimicrobial leather coatings. Carbohydrate Polymers, 98, 1229-1235, 2013 J.S. Amaral, M. Sepulveda, C.A. Cateto, I.P. Fernandes, A.E. Rodrigues, M.N. Belgacem, M.F. Barreiro. Fungal degradation of lignin-based rigid polyurethane foams. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 97, 2069-2076, 2012
Isabel Fernandes
ipmf@ipb.pt