We spoke with David Lajones, a Physics major from Guayaquil who works on the analysis of the porosity of a material that combines clay with carbon nanotubes.

David Lajones always liked mathematics. However, when he arrived at Yachay Tech and took courses related to Mathematics (in levelling), he realized that he didn’t want to study that major. That’s how he ended up with Physics. “I like Physics because I think it’s very malleable, in the sense that from Physics you can do a lot of things in several fields of study,” he comments. For David, Physics allowed him to find a middle ground between mathematics, (what he liked at first) and his practical personality.

For David, the way Physics allows you to modify a material or create a new one, according to research needs, is fascinating. That is why his thesis project is based on one of those materials. He works with a nanomaterial resulting from mixing clay with nanotubes. His capstone project seeks to analyze the porosity of this material, with respect to the concentration of nanotubes in clay. The concentration of nanotubes determines the creation of larger or smaller pores in the material.

This research has many application, one of them being uses in catalysis. The porosity of a material increases its effective surface since the inner surface of the pores is added to the count of the general surface. It is important to have a greater effective surface area so the catalyst can act more efficiently. For the development of his thesis project, David is working with Julio Chacón Ph.D., a professor of the School of Physical Sciences and Nanotechnology.

Like Physics, David feels that coming to Yachay Tech was a midpoint for him; in this case, between his wish to live on a university campus and staying in Ecuador. He remembers that the night he arrived for the first time, he thought ‘nothing is ready’, but he recognizes that the people who welcomed him were very kind. David says he remembers the staff being in a big hurry getting everything ready to welcome them, so it left a good impression on him.

When they started the levelling classes, the academic part was very demanding but he was able to overcome it. David recognizes that at first he was afraid because he had never left his province and he didn’t know anyone. However, he was surprised to discover that all his housemates were from Guayas, like him. This made easier his experience on campus. Another thing that improved his university life was the campus location. David loves to ride a bicycle in the mountains surrounding the campus. He says that after graduation he will miss that more than anything.

David says that, although he knows that there is the possibility of jumping directly into a Ph.D., he’s still not ready for it. This is why after graduating he would like to do a master’s degree in the field of materials and then continue with his studies.