Fitxa persona

Rafael Abargues is an Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the  University of Valencia (UVEG), with a career that bridges academia and industry. He earned his  Ph.D. in Chemistry from the  University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany), conducting his doctoral research at Infineon Technologies AG (SIEMENS group), where he focused on the synthesis of electrically conductive polymers for electron beam lithography. Following his Ph.D., he joined the  Materials Science Institute (ICMUV) at the University of Valencia as a postdoctoral researcher, where he launched a pioneering research line dedicated to the  chemical synthesis of advanced nanomaterials for optoelectronic, photovoltaic, and sensing applications.
In 2009, Abargues co-founded  Intenanomat S.L., a spin-off company from the University of Valencia dedicated to R&D in nanomaterials for  biotechnology, optoelectronics, catalysis, and renewable energy. During his time at Intenanomat, he served first as  Director of Research and Development for three years and later as  CEO for four years, driving innovation and the commercialization of cutting-edge materials technologies.
Returning to academia in 2017, Abargues was awarded a highly competitive  Ramón y Cajal fellowship, one of Spain’s most prestigious research programs, to further develop his independent line of research in nanomaterials. By 2020, he had established his own  research group at ICMUV, consolidating his efforts in the synthesis of nanomaterials for  photovoltaics, optoelectronics, and photo- and electrocatalysis. Currently, his research focuses on the  design and synthesis of perovskites, metal oxides, and conducting polymerstailored for high-performance applications in next-generation  solar cells, LEDs, and catalytic systems. His scientific contributions include  over 100 peer-reviewed publications,  17 patents—two of which are currently under commercial exploitation, and an  H-index of 31.
As  Principal Investigator, R. Abargues is leading  six active research projects (one European and five national), as well as  two industrial collaborations, including a major partnership with  a company focused on the manufacturing of  electrolyzers, leveraging one of his group’s patented technologies. In the past, he has successfully led four additional competitive research projects (two national and two regional). Abargues is also deeply committed to  training the next generation of scientists. Through his leadership, he continues to advance the field of functional nanomaterials, bridging fundamental science and industrial innovation to address global challenges in energy and sustainable technologies.