You are here

Home

Dr. Paula Zapata

Charge: 
Environmental Sciences Department. Polymer Laboratory paula.zapata
E-mail: 
paula.zapata@usach.cl

Biography: 
Doctorate in Chemistry from the Universidad de Chile. March 2010.
She did a Master of Science in Chemistry. (Universidad Nacional de Colombia; Medellín) March 2005.
Chemical engineer from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Medellín) June 2003.
Research Area: 
His research area is the preparation of polyethylene nanocomposites and biopolymers with incorporation of different types of nanoparticles (Silver, TiO2, SiO2, starch, CaCO3), in order to improve their final properties (thermal, mechanical, barrier, and biocides) with application in medical and food packaging field. Preparation of composite materials for the storage and release of drugs. Study of oxo and biodegradation of polyolefin nanocomposites and biopolymers. Preparation of new materials for tissue engineering using the electrospining technique.
Projects: 
  • DICYT- ASociativo-USACH (051916VC_DAS), Co-Researcher, "Preparation and thermal characterization of nanofluids for micro-scale technological applications" (051916VC_DAS). 2019-2021.
  • Researcher, project, CEN - LEITAT 13CEI2-21839, "CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN NANOFIBRAS LEITAT CHILE" 2017-2019.
  • Principal Researcher. Fondecyt Regular project N ° 1170226, “Multifunctional biodegradable polymer nanocomposites for biomedical applications”, 2017-2020,
  • Co-Researcher. Fondecyt Regular 1150130. Responsible Institution: Universidad de Chile. Title:. Development of polymer composites based on graphene nanoparticles. 2015 –2018
  • Researcher. Foundation Project for Agrarian Innovation, FIA, PYT-2013-0018 “Preparation of a smart film with potential use in the food and agriculture sector”, 2012-2016.
Latest Publications: 

  • Canales D, Saavedra M, Flores T, Bejarano J, Ortiz J., Orihuela P., Pabón E., Palza H., Zapata P.A*, Effect of bioglass nanoparticles on the properties and bioactivity of poly(lactic acid) films, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2020;108:2032–2043, DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.36963

  • Grande Tovar C.  D.* ; Castro, J. I.Valencia, C. H.; Zapata, P. A.; Solano, M. A.; Florez L., E.; Chaur, M. N.; Valencia Z., M. E.; Mina H., J.H.,2020, Synthesis of Chitosan Beads Incorporating Graphene Oxide/Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles for In Vivo Studies, 2020, Molecules, 25, 2308;1-22, DOI: 10.3390/molecules251023

  • Silva C, Bobiller F, Canales D, Sepúlveda F, Cament A,  Amigo N, Rivas L.M., Ulloa M.T., Loyo C, Zapata, P. A * 2020, Mechanical and Antimicrobial Polyethylene Composites with CaO Nanoparticles, Polymers, 2020, 12, 2132; doi:10.3390/polym12092132.

  • Amigo, N., Palza, H., Canales, D., Vasco D,  Sepúlveda, F., Zapata, P.A*. Effect of starch nanoparticles on the crystallization kinetics and photodegradation of high density polyethylene , Composites Part B 174 (2019) 106979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.106979

  • Junca, M.A.V., Valencia, C., López, E.F., Flores E,Delgado-Ospina J, Zapata P:A,  Solano, M., Grande Tovar, C.D. Chitosan beads incorporated with essential oil of Thymus capitatus: Stability studies on red Tilapia fillets, Biomolecules 2019, 9, 458; doi:10.3390/biom9090458

  • Rojas, K., Canales, D., Amigo, N., Montoille L, Cament A,Rivas L.M, Gil O, Reyes P, Ulloa M.T,  Ribes-Greus, A., Zapata, P.A*. Effective antimicrobial materials based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, Composites Part B 172 (2019) 173–178, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.05.054

  • Canales, D., Montoille, L., Rivas, L.M., Ortiz J.A, Yañez M, Rabagliati F.M, Ulloa M.T, Alvarez, E., Zapata, P.A*. Fungicides films of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)/inclusion complexes (Carvacrol and Cinnamaldehyde) against botrytis cinerea, Coatings 2019, 9(12), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings9120795

  • Alfaro A., León, A., Guajardo-Correa, E., Reuquen P, Torres F,Mery M, Segura R,  Zapata, P.A., Orihuela, P.A. MgO nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol as carrier for 2-Methoxyestradiol anticancer drug , PLoS One. 2019;14:e0214900. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214900

  • Palza H, Zapata P.A., Angulo-Pineda C, Electroactive Smart Polymers for Biomedical Applications. Review Materials 2019, 12, 277 , P 1-24

  • Paula A. Zapata ,*, Humberto Palza , Boris Díaz , Andrea Armijo , Francesca Sepúlveda , J. Andrés Ortiz , Maria Paz Ramírez , Claudio Oyarzún. Effect of CaCO3 nanoparticles on the mechanical and photo-degradation of LDPE, Molecules 2019, 24, 126; doi:10.3390/molecules24010126

  • Zapata, P.A., Zamora, P., Canales, D.A., Quijada, R., Benavente, R., Rabagliati, F.M.

    Preparation of nanocomposites based on styrene/(p-methylstyrene) and SiO2 nanoparticles, through a metallocene–MAO initiating system (2019) Polymer Bulletin, 6: 1041-1058 (2019).  DOI:10.1007/S00289-018-2420-0

  • Palza, H., Zapata, P., Sagredo, C. Shape memory composites based on a thermoplastic elastomer polyethylene with carbon nanostructures stimulated by heat and solar radiation having piezoresistive behavior (2018) Polymer International, 67 (8), pp. 1046-1053. DOI: 10.1002/pi.5610

  • D. Vasco, B.Águila V., P.Galvez  P, P. Zapata  Effect of temperature and CuO-nanoparticle concentration on the thermal conductivity and viscosity of an organic phase-change material, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 120 1009–1019, (2018). IF 3.5

  • J. Andrés Ortiz, B.Matsuhiro, P.A. Zapata, T.Corrales, F.Catalina, Preparation and characterization of maleoylagarose/PNIPAAm graft copolymers and formation of polyelectrolyte complexes with chitosan, Carbohydrate Polymers,182, ,81-91. 2018. IF:4,88

  • Andres Zenteno a, Ingo Lieberwirth b, Fernando Catalina c, Teresa Corrales c, Sichem Guerrero d, Diego A. Vasco e, Paula A. Zapata, Study of the effect of the incorporation of TiO2 nanotubes on the mechanical and photodegradation properties of polyethylenes , Composites Part B 112 (2017) 66-73

  • A. León *, P. Reuquen, C. Garín, R. Segura, P. Vargas, P. A. Zapata, P. Orihuela FTIR and Raman characterization of TiO2 nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol as carrier for 2-Methoxyestradiol. Applied Siences, 2017,  7, 49. DOI: 10.3390/app7010049. 2-9

  • “Preparation and Characterization of some polymer/pharmaceulical based composites. Part II Ivermectin.” F.M. Rabagliati, M. Saavedra, P.A. Zapata, P. Galvez, D. Canales, G.P. Orihuela, G.H. Cárdenas.  Polym. Bull. DOI 10.1007/s00289-017-2024-0 , 2018,  75, 415–425

  • F. M. Rabagliati, M. V. Cuevas, M. A. Pérez, F. J. Rodríguez, R. A. Cancino, G. A. Mardones, H. E. Muñoz, M. A. Saavedra, M. Vidal, L. A. Muñoz, D. Canales, D. Yañez, P. A. Zamora, P. A. Zapata (2016). Homo- and copolymerization of styrene and styrene related monomers. Synthesis and characterization. Journal of Chilean Chemical Society.  20 octubre 2016. 64, 3304-3310

  • H.Palza,*, M. Rojas, E. Cortez, R. Palma, P.Zapata, Nanoparticle reinforcement in elastomeric polyethylene composites under tensile tests. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.09.053. (IF 3.85) Composites Part B 107 (2016) 97-105

  • P. A. Zapata*, A. Zenteno, N. Amigó, F. M. Rabagliati, F.Sepúlveda, F. Catalina, T.Corrales, Study on the photodegradation of nanocomposites based on polypropylene and TiO2 nanotubes  Polymer Degradation and Stability,   133,  101-107, 2016  (IF 3.55)

  • P.A Zapata*, M Larrea, L Tamayo, FM Rabagliati, MI Azócar , M Páez,Polyethylene/silver-nanofiber composites: A material for antibacterial films, Material Science an Engineering C, 69, 1282-1289.2016 (IF 3.0)

  • Fonseca C., Ochoa A., Ulloa M.T., Alvarez E., Canales D.,  Zapata P. A*., Poly(lactic acid) /TiO2 nanocomposites as alternative biocidal and antifungal materials, Material Science an Engineering , 57, 314-320, 2015

  • Yañez D, F.M. Rabagliati, S.Guerrero, I.Lieberwirth,M.T. Ulloa, T.Gomez P.A.Zapata*, Photocatalytic inhibition of bacteria by TiO2 nanotubes-doped polyethylene composites, Applied Catalysis A: General,489, 255-261, 2015. 

  • L.Tamayo*, P.A. Zapata  , N.D. Vejar, M.I. Azócar, M.A. Gulppi, X. Zhouc, G.E. Thompsonc, F.M. Rabagliati, M.A. Páez ,Antibacterial and non-cytotoxic effect of nanocomposites based in polyethylene and copper nanoparticles, J.Mater.Sci.Matr. Med., 26,126, 2015

  • A.Zenteno, S.Guerrero, I Lieberwirth,  M-T.Ulloa, H.Palza, P.A.Zapata*, Effect of hydrothermally synthesized titanium nanotubes on the behavior of polypropylene for antimicrobial applications, Polymer International DOI 10.1002/pi.4939, 64,1442-450 2015.