Luís Mafra

Luís Mafra is a Principal Researcher at CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, specializing in solid-state NMR spectroscopy and porous materials. He holds a PhD from the University of Aveiro and University of Caen (France), with postdoctoral training at the Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung (Germany). His research focuses on combining NMR techniques with computational methods to study materials for CO2 capture, catalysis, and pharmaceuticals. He has authored over 100 SCI publications and secured prestigious grants like the ERC Consolidator Grant (2020). Mafra is an editorial board member of Solid-state NMR and collaborates with industry through projects with BP Amoco Chemical Company and others.

His research group actively explores acid site characterization in zeolites, CO2 sorption mechanisms, and functionalized mesoporous silicas. Current projects include developing microwave-synthesized metal-organic frameworks and biochar-based CO2 sorbents. Mafra supervises multiple PhD and postdoctoral researchers, including co-tutelle students with international institutions like the University of Oviedo and ETH Zurich. He has mentored over 20 researchers, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in materials science and environmental chemistry.

• Key Projects: PANACEA (EU-funded NMR infrastructure), CO2 capture via amine-modified silicas, and biofuel catalyst development.
• Awards: ERC Consolidator Grant (2020), Celestino da Costa/Jean Perrin Prize (2006), and António Xavier Bruker Prize (2009).
• Labs/Teams: CICECO’s Porous Materials & Nanosystems group, active in solid-state NMR and materials characterization.