1. High-performance Biocomposites
Natural-fiber reinforced plastic composites (NFRPs) are a type of composite material that consists of a polymer matrix embedded with high-strength natural fibers. These natural fibers can be sourced from renewable plants. Examples of such fibers include jute, oil palm, sisal, kenaf, and flax. NFRPs have the potential to compete with glass-fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRPs) in certain applications due to their distinctive characteristics. NFRPs are considered more eco-friendly. They can help reduce the overall carbon footprint, making them an attractive choice for sustainable development. The production of natural fibers requires significantly less energy compared to the production of synthetic fibers like glass. However, natural fibers still cannot compete with g;ass fobers because of their inferior mechanical performance and durability. This project explores innovative methods to enhance the performance of natural fibers to make it a realistic replacement for glass fibers.
2. Advanced Manufacturing of Biocomposites for Emerging Applications
The motivation for LFAM, also known as 3D printing, stems from its potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry. This technology allows for the production of large, complex parts and components with high efficiency. It offers significant advantages over traditional manufacturing methods, including reduced material waste, lower production costs, and the ability to produce customized products on-demand. Furthermore, it enables rapid prototyping, allowing designers and engineers to quickly produce a physical model of a design for review and testing. This can significantly shorten the product development cycle and accelerate time-to-market. In addition, LFAM has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing by using less energy and producing less waste. This project explores material formulations development processed by LFAM to create novel solutions for lightweight applications, such as sustainable industrial packaging.
3. Nanocellulose-enabled Plant Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture
Nanomaterials are being investigated as plant growth stimulants, antibacterial agents, pesticides and carriers of conventional pesticides, displaying some promising performances. For example, the addition of nano-carbon with urea increased the growth rate of soybean seedlings and significantly increased soybean yield (approximately 20%). However, nanomaterials are not flawless for their applications in plants. Two major concerns of using conventional nanomaterials in agriculture are toxicity towards the environment and humans, as well as their production cost. Nanocellulose, in contrast, is a more promising nanomaterial than conventional nanomaterials, by being inexpensive, nontoxic, biodegradable, etc. The most appealing attribute of nanocellulose is that it is safe to living creatures. For example, in Japan, cellulose nanofibrils used in pancakes have “achieved a soft moist texture that has never been realized before.” Though cellulose derivatives, chitosan and starch nanoparticles have been studied for control-release of agrochemicals, research on using nanocellulose with fertilizers is hardly seen. This project explores the benefits of applying nanocellulose on crop productivity and fruit yields.