Victor M.M. Lobo
Professor of Electrochemistry (Prof. Catedrático)
Member of the Portuguese Academy of Sciences
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Department of Chemistry – University of Coimbra
P3004-535 Coimbra - Portugal
e-mail: vlobo@ci.uc.pt
Tel. +351-239 828 403 (office, direct); +351-965 186 283 (mobile)
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Areas of interest
• Experimental measurement of diffusion coefficients in electrolyte solutions with cell developed by V.M.M. Lobo and with the Taylor dispersion method (see list of papers). Research on thermodynamic and transport properties in electrolyte solutions (see books published). Development of theoretical models for diffusion (see papers).
• Diffusion coefficients of electrolytes in polymers with cells developed for this purpose (see papers).
• Corrosion studies: use of electrolytes (e.g. H3PO4) in conversion of rust in previously corroded metallic surfaces for eventual painting (see papers).
• Preparation of addendum to "Handbook of Electrolyte Solutions ", Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam (1990), with 2 volumes, in a total of 2354 pages. It has data on density, viscosity, conductance, transport number, diffusion and activity (and osmotic) coefficients of aqueous solutions of inorganic electrolytes.
• Updating a database "Electrolyte Solutions Database (ELYS)", in the Science and Engineering Research Council, U.K. Database with more than 10000 tables on density, viscosity, conductance, transport numbers, diffusion and activity (and osmotic) coefficients.
• Collaboration with the Portuguese Ministry of Industry where V.M.M. Lobo is president of a commission on corrosion, and represents Portugal in international ISO and CEN meetings.
• Has also collaborated with IUPAC where he has been titular member of Commission I.3 on Electrochemistry.
Co-workers
Ana C.F. Ribeiro and her co-workers, Artur J.M. Valente and his co-workers.
Curriculum vitæ
Professor Catedrático da Universidade de Coimbra
Member of the Portuguese Academy of Sciences
Victor Manuel de Matos Lobo was born in Coimbra, Portugal, on 18 February 1940, is married to Maria Teresa A.S. Lobo, and has three children, Victor (b. 1965), Paulo (b. 1970), and Jorge (b. 1971).
He was the best student from his High School in Coimbra (Liceu D. João III) in 1956 and got an American Field Service scholarship to stay for one year in the U.S.A. to attend Beaverton Union High School, Oregon, as a senior, graduating in 1957, with high grades.
Graduated (Licenciatura) in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Coimbra in 1963 with Honours (the best student of his course). At the end of his first undergraduate year was invited as an “assistant demonstrator” and as such helped in laboratory classes up to his final year. Had a University scholarship and a research grant from “National Institute of High Culture”. While an undergraduate student did research in radiochemistry. In July 1960 had the honour of having a grant from Gulbenkian Foundation (which included air travel Lisbon-London-Lisbon and stay in London for two weeks) to attend III Centenary of the Royal Society (U.K.) and participate in the International Youth Science Fortnight.
Invited to join the teaching staff of the University of Coimbra (“assistente”) in 1963 was asked to go “on leave” with his Professor to the University of Mozambique for three years. Did research in flame photometry. Demonstrated in laboratory classes of General Chemistry, Qualitative, and Quantitative Chemical Analysis, and Physical Chemistry. Later, was asked to lecture Qualitative Chemical Analysis and Quantitative Chemical Analysis (both one year courses).
At the end of 1966 went to Cambridge to do research with Dr. J. Agar. Developed a new isothermal diffusion cell (Ph.D. Thesis: Diffusion and Thermal Diffusion in Solutions of Electrolytes), stayed for some post-doctoral work and returned to Mozambique for about one year, to return finally to his post, as a lecturer, in the University of Coimbra in 1972. “Associate” Professor of Electrochemistry in 1975 and Full Professor (Prof. Catedrático) in 1981.
In 1971 he was asked by the Department of Chemistry of the University of Mozambique to supervise a laboratory for chemical analysis to attend requests from anywhere in Mozambique, from factories, coal mines, state departments (e.g., municipal water supplies, police, customs), etc. At the time, it was the best equipped laboratory for chemical analysis in Mozambique.
He has always been doing research in Electrochemistry (see papers elsewhere) and has always been lecturing Electrochemistry and Corrosion, but has also been responsible for other courses such as
Chemical Thermodynamics (almost always)
Physical Chemistry (almost always)
Medical Chemistry
Instrumental Methods of Chemical Analysis
Electrolyte Solutions
Ionic Solutions
General Chemistry
Has also lectured topics for post-graduate students.
Has published notes (in Portuguese) to serve as text-books for his lectures: Medical Chemistry with some 900 pages, Chemical Analysis with some 500 pages, etc.
Has been asked to examine Ph.D. Thesis in Portugal, in Canada, and in Spain; has examined candidates for Professorship (“provas de agregação”) and has participated in examination boards for Associate Professor and Full and Professors and for positions in the research career. He has been asked to represent the Rector of the University of Coimbra in Ph.D. examinations and in a two week long cultural representation of the University of Coimbra in France and Italy.
In 1977 published a Portuguese translation of a British book on Chemical Thermodynamics, a course he has lectured for decades.
In 1975 published Vol. I of a work entitled “Electrolyte Solutions: Literature Data on Thermodynamic and Transport Properties” with 450 pages, in 1984 Vol. II of the same work with 1096 pages. In 1989 published, with R. Mills, a book entitled “Self-diffusion in Electrolyte Solutions; a critical examination of data compiled from the literature” (Elsevier, Amsterdam). In 1990 published a work in two volumes, totalling 2366 pages for Elsevier, Amsterdam, entitled “Handbook of Electrolyte Solutions”. This book has been extensively used by the scientific community.
In 1982 has been asked to set up (and direct for more than a decade) a laboratory for chemical analysis of supply waters (ILAQUA, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, North of Portugal).
In 1983 was elected Associate Member of the Electrochemistry Commission of IUPAC and in 1985 was promoted to Titular Member. In 1989 was re-elected as Titular Member and, possibly, he has been the first Portuguese with this responsibility.
In 1984 was invited to organize a databank with a project from the Sciences and Engineering Research Council, SERC, U.K., with data on density, viscosity, equivalent conductance, transport number, diffusion coefficients and activity coefficients of solutions. He worked on that at the SERC laboratory at Daresbury (near Liverpool) for 1-2 months in summer every year from 1984 to 1990. This databank, called ELLYS, has been released in 1989, but updating and improving the system continued for many years.
He was elected (unanimously) as Member of the Portuguese Academy of Sciences (Academia das Ciências de Lisboa).
On account of his diverse research interests, he has done research for months or years in U.K, Germany, Australia, and USA. Gave many invited lectures and established new collaborations in Russia, Belgium, France, Spain, Canada, etc. Thus, in 1977 stayed for two months at Gottingen, Germany, and from his work resulted a publication entitled “Ionic Conductivity of RbAg4I5 in the Microwave Range”. From October 1980 to August 1981 did research at the Australian National University at the invitation of Prof. R. Mills. This resulted in a publication by Lobo and Mills entitled “Tracer Diffusion of Cadmium and Mercury in Mercury Over the Temperature Range 283-333 K”. Two papers on the corrosion in lead-acid batteries were written after a short visit to the CSIRO at Melbourne. From September 1988 to September 1989 was a Visiting Professor at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England. In June 1999 stayed at the University of Ontario, London (Ontario), Canada, to measure diffusion coefficients with a Taylor dispersion technique developed by Prof. Derek Leaist and subsequently installed similar equipment at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, where it has produced data for many papers, including pioneering work in ternary and quaternary systems.
Received the Gold Medal at the “15th International Exhibition of Inventions and New Techniques”, Geneve, Switzerland, 3-12 April 1987, for the cell developed for measurements of diffusion coefficients, which has always been working and producing data for tens of papers.
He has also been awarded the Nicolai M. Emanuel Medal by the Russian Academy of Sciences (2011) and the Portuguese Electrochemical Society Prize (in 2012, the first time it was awarded).
He has been the Head of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Coimbra for many years. He has been a member of the Portuguese National Council for Education, representing the Portuguese Scientific Societies. He is a member of the Council responsible for accepting scientific journals in SciELO. He has published some 60 articles in the Portuguese daily press on matters concerning education, and other areas.
He is the Editor of “Portugaliae Electrochimica Acta” since September 2002 and succeeded to have this journal been selected by SciELO and by the Web of Knowledge (formerly ISI) for abstracting its publications. This scientific journal is also abstracted by Elsevier Database / Scopus, Chemical Abstracts, Latindex, Referativnyi Zhurnal, and Scimago.
Naturally, has received financial support from Portuguese and international institutions for research activities from 1960, when he was granted financial assistance for research in radiochemistry up to the present day (“Projecto Estratégico PEst-OE/QUI/UI0313/2014”; Nano-Reactores Orgânicos para a Conversão Química de Dióxido de Carbono (CO2): Aplicação da Nova Teoria “Confined Reaction Fields” (CRF) em Processos de Fixação de CO2 Atmosférico, PTDC/AAC-CLI/118092; Caracterização de novas resinas para o tratamento de águas residuais, Acção Integrada Luso-Espanhola, E-2/02, coordinated by Victor M.M. Lobo; PTDC/AAC-CLI “Metal Organic Frameworks for Atmospheric CO2 and CH4 “Sequestering and in situ Chemical Conversion”; and others). As the result of this financial support (projects, etc.) is shown in the papers, communications, etc., indicated elsewhere, it is not necessary to indicate the specific names of all the projects involved.
He has been invited by CENERTEC (Centro de Energia e Tecnologia) to give 2 day courses (8 x 2 hours) to engineers (normally 25 in each course) working in industrial installations, interested in updating their knowledge on metallic corrosion. There have been 2 of those courses in the Lisbon area and another 2 in the Oporto (Porto) area.
He is a member of chemical societies in Portugal, England and Germany. He is or has been: President of the Portuguese Electrochemical Society, President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Chemical Society, President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Electrochemical Society, President of the General Assembly of Intercultura, Vice-President of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Electrochemical Society, Member of Editorial Commission of several scientific journals, (“Corrosão e Protecção de Materiais”; “Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Kinetics”; “Polymer Research Journal”; “Research Trends”; and others), President of a Committee for corrosion in the Portuguese Ministry of Industry. Since 1991 he has always been the Head of the Portuguese delegation in international meetings of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and CEN (European Standards) where international standards on corrosion protection are discussed and voted. He has been chairman of one working group (WG) in ISO/TC 107 and another in ISO/TC 156. He has biographies in biographic books from American, British and Austrian origin; has been elected to academic positions, to counsellor of the Municipality of Coimbra, and in the Municipality of Mortágua, his home town, and others.
In the scientific field has or has had collaboration with Prof. Barthel at the Department of Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Germany, Prof. Pierre Turq in Paris, Prof. Vitagliano in Naples, Dr. Reginald Mills and Dr. Lawrence Wolf in Canberra, Australia, Prof. Guennadi Zaikov in Moscow, Prof. Camino in Torino, Prof. Georges Geuskens in Brussels, Dr. Polishchuk’s group of the Institute of Biochemical Physics – Russian Academy of Sciences, Prof. D. Leaist in Canada, Prof. Miguel Esteso, University of Alacalá, Spain, etc. A list of books, chapters in books, scientific papers, invited lectures, communications in meetings, etc.(more than 500), is given elsewhere.
The Journal of Molecular Liquids dedicated a “Special Issue in honour of Prof. Victor Lobo” (Volume 156, issue 1, 15 September 2010, ISSN: 0167-7322), being “Guest Editors: Artur J.M. Valente, Hugh D. Burrows”.
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