Saúl Utrera Barrios

Departamento de Nanomateriales Poliméricos y Biomateriales
Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros
C/ Juan de la Cierva, 3
Madrid, 28006
Spain


  • Short CV

Saul Utrera Barrios is a Materials Engineer specialized in polymers, graduated from the Simón Bolívar University (USB), in Caracas, Venezuela. He started his research career during his final degree project, which consisted in the in situ synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles, as substitutes for carbon black in elastomer-based compounds. He obtained an MSc in High Specialization in Plastics and Rubber that is taught between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP). In the CSIC he continued to deepen his training in polymers, particularly in elastomeric materials, for which he developed a multidisciplinary master's final work, in which he combined elastomers with graphene, creating nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties and self-healing capability, typically antagonistic properties but necessary to extend their lifetime and reduce their environmental impact. Now he is currently doing his thesis about elastomer-based composites with self-healing capability at the PhD program in Advanced Chemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) under the supervision of Dr. Marianella Hernández Santana and Dr. Miguel Ángel López-Manchado. His scientific main interest includes the development, characterization, and production of elastomer-based composites materials.