The research of Industrial Chemistry is focused on chemical and biochemical processes that are useful in industry and in other applied contexts, as well as on chemicals and materials that are useful in society. Researchers in Industrial Chemistry investigate chemical catalysts (in particular heterogeneous catalytic materials), biocatalysts (i.e., enzymes and microorganisms), forest-industrial and other types of biorefinery processes, cellulosic and lignin-based materials, wastewater treatment, separation processes including membrane separation and chromatographic separation methods, carbon dioxide capture and utilisation, electrochemical reactions and components of electrochemical cells, and alternative solvents such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents.
Industrial Chemistry includes ~35 employees (of which around eight are doctoral students). The senior staff consists of five professors, two associate professors, and two research fellows.
The research is mainly carried out in laboratories at the KBC in Umeå, at in Örnsköldsvik (Leif Jönsson), at Inland (Carlos Martín), and at (J-P Mikkola).
Several research groups are connected to the Strategic Research Environment , which includes researchers from Umeå University, , , and .