CPAC: An industry—university cooperative research center for process analytical chemistry

Abstract

The Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC) is one of about 20 industry—university partnerships across the U.S.A. founded with support from the National Science Foundation to stimulate some aspect of industrial innovation and productivity. Because industry is looking toward increased automation and in order to improve productivity, new sensors and strategies need to be developed for real-time process monitoring and control. Research at CPAC is aimed at the discovery and development of analytical methods that can be integrated directly into the process and that are coupled with chemometrics techniques. CPAC is advancing a systems approach by combining (1) theoretical research on new and existing transduction principles, (2) rational sensor design and multivariate techniques for calibration, resolution and interpretation of data, (3) sensor fabrication and engineering research, and (4) process optimization and control using analytical data in real-time. Process applications are seen as one element of a broader trend, termed distributed analytical chemistry, which is bringing analytical methods out of the laboratory into the system being analyzed. The trend will provide a natural and fertile field for industry—university cooperative endeavors. In this article, the effects of the CPAC partnership on analytical research and education at the University of Washington are assessed.