IQAC-CSIC Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Service 'Josep Carilla'

Josep Carilla, worked 42 years as a technician at the CSIC. In its beginnings, in the years 1975-76, it was in charge of the study of the thermal behavior of chlorocarbon polymers developed at the Institute of Applied Organic Chemistry of Barcelona, belonging at that time to the Center for Research and Development (CID), to which IQAC belongs today. In this way, Josep Carilla used the first Perkin-Elmer calorimetry and thermogravimetry equipment that arrived at the institute, thus starting the Thermal Analysis Laboratory, which he would be responsible for years later.

Josep Carilla, born in Girona on February 17, 1952, finished his studies of Chemical Engineering in 1974 at the Terrassa School of Engineering of the Technical University of Catalonia and joined the Technical staff of the Applied Organic Chemistry Institute of Barcelona of the CSIC, being sent to the “Instituto de Plásticos y Caucho” of the CSIC of Madrid to follow a Postgraduate training in Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, under the direction of Professor Gómez-Fatou.

His activity was not limited only to the thermal analysis of these materials, but his initiative led him to disseminate the possibilities of thermal analysis in their environment, and offered his support and collaboration in the study of other types of materials, progressively expanding the offer of collaborations in the scientific, academic and industrial environment.

During the 90’s he joined as assistant Amelia Lopez Navarro, which allowed him to expand the activity of the laboratory. In 1999, the Institute’s Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Service was officially set up and took over the responsibility of the Service.

The Service followed and increasing pace of activity, and he found the way to converge efforts to improve and expand the available equipment and incorporate new techniques of micro-calorimetry, thermomechanical analysis and vapour sorption. As a head of the Service, strengthens the Institute’s presence in the research environment and makes it known to the chemical, pharmaceutical, polymer, textile and tanning industrial sectors, encouraging innovation and development.

His extensive experience and commitment to the development of the work he assumes, makes many companies entrust their needs to the Service, both for the reliability and speed in the delivery of results, and for the confidence that the equipment of the Service was in the best operating conditions.

The Service has supported research by actively participating in National and European Research Projects, providing valuable results, which have led to a considerable number of proceedings and papers presented to Scientific and Technical Congresses and published in Scientific Journals.

Retiring four years ago, he leaves a consolidated Service that can follow in a self-sufficient way his path of support to research and industry, following in the footsteps of an excellent task that the Institute has wanted to recognize.

This fact is intended to highlight the work of the technical staff, often hidden, without which many of the goals that, as Institute we have attained, would not have been possible to achieve.