History

The creation of the Institute of Chemical Technology has a unique backstory that has since become a success story.

In 1990 a group of nine CSIC and UPV researchers (Juan Carlos Asensi Sempere, Avelino Corma, Vicente Fornés Seguí, Hermenegildo García Gómez, Sara Iborra Chornet, Amparo Mifsud Corts, Miguel Ángel Miranda Alonso, Joaquín Pérez Pariente, Jaime Primo Millo), led by Prof. Avelino Corma and Prof. Jaime Primo, respectively, launched the institute with minimal economic support. They set up the facilities by transforming an available space in a parking lot at the UPV campus. In 1994, the team moved to what is now the building where the Institute operates.

Today, with more than three decades of history, the Institute’s staff exceeds 300 professionals, establishing it as one of the world’s leading centers in the fields of catalysis, new materials, photochemistry, and the transfer of basic knowledge to technological applications. Furthermore, as a testament to its international excellence, it is worth noting that the Institute collaborates on research projects with world-renowned multinational companies.

Since 2013, it has been part of the Severo Ochoa network of centers, which were selected for their scientific achievements and strategic programs following a rigorous evaluation involving more than 100 internationally renowned scientists. Consequently, the quality and level of excellence of the research conducted are guaranteed, with differences arising solely from governance, structure, and organizational and managerial principles, as well as the minimum critical mass required of centers and units.

During these three decades, the Instituto de Tecnología Química has conducted competitive basic research, successfully transferred this knowledge to industry, and trained new generations of researchers. Besides, ITQ has also developed numerous breakthroughs with significant international impact in the fields of petroleum refining, the removal of contaminants from natural gas, the improvement of processes for obtaining high-value-added chemicals, and the design of new automated “high-throughput” reactors and reaction systems, as well as solar cells and sensors. Important advances have also been made in biomedicine and health toward minimizing drug-induced photosensitization and repairing photochemical DNA damage through the development of new products and procedures that will contribute to the fight against cancer in the future.

Over the past fifteen years, the ITQ has filed more than 150 patent applications, 80 of which have been developed through R+D contracts with industry. The remaining applications are jointly registered by the UPV and the CSIC, and 25 of them have been licensed to companies. It is remarkable that five of the five of the large-scale processes and technologies developed at ITQ are being commercially exploited, while another two are in demonstration plant. In addition, several catalytic technologies developed by the ITQ in the field of fine chemicals have been commercialized.

On November 3, 2025, Eloísa del Pino Matute, president of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and José Esteban Capilla Romá, rector of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), signed the renewal of the agreement establishing the operating conditions of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ). The ITQ has been a joint institute co-owned by the CSIC and the UPV since December 11, 1989, the date on which the first agreement between the two entities was signed. Given the fruitful collaborative relationships that have developed among the research staff of the co-owning institutions and the promising future prospects, both organizations have decided to continue this scientific initiative, update its regulations, and adapt them to the requirements of the current national and regional legal frameworks. More information.