Universidade Nova de Lisboa - CENIMAT/I3N - FCT

Main research Topics

General Domains of Interest

Spectroscopic characterization of molecular dynamic and structure in solids and complex fluids.
Rheo-NMR.
Diffusimetry.
Micro MRI and Localized Spectroscopy of materials and bio-systems.

Specific Topics of Research

• Topic 1 : Conformational effect observed on micro and nano cellulosic fibers, when spun from liquid crystalline solutions. Flow and defect characterization of these systems under capilar extrusion by MRI. Those fibers are now being studied to be used as functional and responsive materials for blood and tissue oxygenation.
• Topic 2 : The study of the structure, order and dynamics of liquid crystalline systems: e.g. dendrimers and Elastomers (LCE) and micro nano fibers prepared from cellulosic materials. The experimental results provide a basis for theoretical simulation.
• Topic 3 : Confined Liquid Crystals: Experimental studies of nematics confined in micro and nano cellulosic fibers systems using wideline NMR.
• Topic 4 : Theoretical and Numerical Simulation of the Dynamics of Confined Liquid Crystals (including defects).
• Topic 5 : Biaxility in Nematic Liquid Crystals.
• Topic 6 : Rheo-NMR of complex fluids: Characterization of shear induced textures in complex fluids using Rheo-NMR Techniques.
• Topic 7 : Diffusion: Studies on ionic diffusion in semi-conductive ion jelly systems and on viscous high ionicity ionic liquids (HILLS) by high power pulsed field gradients.
• Topic 8 : Kinetics of crosslinking in elastomers and gels.
• Topic 9 : MicroMRI of biological systems with clinical applications: microMRI of ischemic and non-schemic rat liver treated with new drug delivery systems.
• Topic 10 : Negative contrast agents for MRI: relaxivity studies of iron oxide nano particles (SPION) systems, organic and inorganic coated, with potencial application as contrast agents.

Selected Publications (2008-2013)

1. “Critical Fluctuations and random-anisotropy glass transition in nematic elastomers”, Feio G, Figueirinhas JL, Tajbakshsh AR, Terentjev EM, Phys. Rev. B, 2008, 78(2), 020201
2. “Biaxial nematic order and biaxial order and phase behavior studies in an organosiloxane tetrapode using complementary deuterium NMR experiments”, Cruz C, Figueirinhas JL, Filip D, Feio G, Ribeiro AC, Frère Y, Meyer T, Mehl GH, Phys. Rev. E, 2008, 78(5), 051702
3. “Deuterium NMR Investigation of the Influence of Molecular Structure on the Biaxial Ordering of Organosiloxane Tetrapodes Nematic Phase”, M. Cardoso M, Figueirinhas JL, Cruz C, Van-Quynh A, Ribeiro AC, Feio G, Apreutesei D, Mehl GH, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 2008, 495, 348–359
4. “2H NMR Study of Deformed Natural Rubber Networks”, Alexandre J, Marvão MR, Feio G, Advanced Materials Forum IV, 2008, 687-691, 587-588
5. “The role of defects and boundary and volume inhomogeneities in the field-induced director reorientation in nematic liquid crystals confined between parallel plates”, Martins AF, Véron A, Thin Solid Films, 2008, 517, 1387-1393
6. “Dynamics of confined nematic liquid crystals: computer simulation of field-induced bands formation in the presence of defects anchored on solid boundary surfaces”, Véron A, Martins AF, Thin Solid Films, 2008, 517, 1380-1386
7. “Director dynamics within a boundary layer in contact with a shearing solid surface with non-rigid anchoring”, Véron A, Martins AF, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 2008, 495, 294-311
8. “A novel approach to the normal force in shear of nematic liquid crystals in the cone-and-plate rheometer”, Martins AF, Véron A, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 2008, 495, 312-333
9. “The influence of the preparation methods on the inclusion of model drugs in a beta-cyclodextrin cavity“, Salústio PJ, Feio G, Figueirinhas JL, Pinto JF, Cabral Marques HM, Eur. J. Pharm. Bio-pharm., 2009, 71, 377-386
10. “Deuterium NMR study of mobility and fluctuations in nematic and isotropic elastomers”, Feio G, Figueirinhas JL, Tajbakshsh AR, Terentjev EM, J. Chem. Phys., 2009, 131(7), 074903
11. “Collective modes and biaxial ordering observed by deuterium NMR in the nematic phases of an organosiloxane tetrapode”, Figueirinhas JL, Cruz C, Feio G, MehlGH, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst , 2009, 510, 158-174
12. “Transition from a collective to a progressive mode of director reorientation in a side-chain nematic polymer”, Martins AF, Véron A, Boiko N, Shibaev V, 10th European Conference on Liquid Crystals (ECLC 2009), Colmar, France, April 19-24, 2009
13. “Testing the parallelism of the plates of a display-like nematic liquid crystal cell by NMR”, Luckhurst GR, Martins AF, Sugimura A, Véron A, 10th European Conference on Liquid Crystals (ECLC 2009), Colmar, France, April 19-24, 2009
14. “Self-winding of helices in plant tendrils and cellulose liquid crystal fibers”, Godinho MH, Canejo JP, Feio G, Terentjev EM, Soft Matter, 2010, 6 (23), 5965-5970
15. “Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic investigations of phase biaxiality in the nematic glass of a shape-persistent V-shaped mesogen”, Figueirinhas JL, Feio G, Cruz C, Lehmann M, Khon C, Dong RY, J. Chem. Phys., 2010, 133(7), 174509
16. “Biaxial nematic mesophases from shape-persistent mesogens with a fluorene bending unit”, Lehmann M, Khon C, Figueirinhas JL, Feio G, Cruz C, Dong RY, Chemistry-A European Journal, 2010, 16(28), 8275-8279
17. “Deuterium NMR study of orientational order in cellulosic network microfibers”, Kundu S, Feio G, Pinto LFV, Almeida PL, Figueirinhas JL, Godinho MH, Macromolecules, 2010, 43(13), 5749-5755
18. “Theory and numerical simulation of field-induced director dynamics in confined nematics investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance”, Martins AF, Veron A, Liquid Crystals, 2010, 37 (6-7), 747-771
19. “Release profile of ibuprofen in beta-cyclo-dextrin complexes from two different solid dosages forms”, Salústio PJ, Feio G, Figueirinhas JL, Cabral-Marques HM, Costa PC, Pinto JF, Powder Technology, 2012, 221, 245-251
20. "Surface anchoring energy of an octyl-cyanobiphenyl liquid crystal (8CB) deduced from the shear stress response", Véron, A, Martins AF, Liquid Crystals, 2012, 39:9, 1159-1165
21. "Properties of the static NMR response of a confined thin nematic film of 5CB-d2 under crossed electric and magnetic fields: Theory and experiments", Véron A, Dugmura A, Luckhurst GR, Martins AF, Physical Review E, 2012, 86, 051708-1/20
22. "Origin of the echo phenomenon upon flow reversal in low molecular weight nematic liquid crystals", Martins AF, Véron A, Rheological Acta, 2012, 51, 891-908
23. "Relaxivities of Magnetoliposomes: the effect of cholesterol", Carvalho A, Gonçalves MC, Martins MB, Meixedo D, Feio G, Magn Reson Imaging, 2013, 31(4), 610-612
24. "Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetoliposomes for MRI Contrast Enhancement", Faria R, Cruz MM, Gonçalves MC, Carvalho A, Feio G, Martins MBF, Int J Farm, 2013, 446(1-2), 183-190
25. "Molecular mobility, composition and structure analysis in glycerol plasticized chitosan", Fundo JF, Fernandes R, Almeida PM, Carvalho A, Feio G, Silva CLM, Quintas MAC, Food Chemistry (accepted)
26. "Europium-polyoxometalates Encapsulated into Silica Nanoparticles: Characterization and Photoluminescent studies", Neves CS, Granadeiro CM, Cunha-Silva L, Ananias D, Gago S, Feio G, Carvalho AP, Eaton P, Balula SS, Pereira E, Eur J Inorg Chem (accepted)