Nano-enhanced, miscanthus-based hybrid biocomposites for light-weighting automotive applications

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This proposal looks to design and engineer the nano-enhanced miscanthus-based biocomposites. The maintarget is to develop light-weight auto parts from polymeric biocomposites, which are cost-performancecompetitive with talc or glass fibre-filled polymer composites, currently used in automotive applications. Thescientific innovation lies in dispersing a small amount (~3-5 wt.%) of nano-particles (e.g. nanoclay andbiocarbon) along with miscanthus as hybrid reinforcement in polymer matrix system to reach appropriatemechanical, thermal and melt flow properties.The project team includes (i) Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre (BDDC) at the University ofGuelph, Ontario, (ii) Competitive Green Technologies (CGTech), a composite compounder in Leamington,Ontario, and (iii) 1797472 Ontario Inc. a producer of miscanthus in Leamington, Ontario. Miscanthus will besupplied by 1797472 Ontario Inc to the research team at the University. The polymeric biocomposites will bedeveloped at the BDDC, employing a range of formulations with different additives to achieve desiredphysicochemical and durable performances. Lab scale and semi-industrial scale processing techniques will beutilized at this stage. During the course of the project, iterative communications with CGTech will take place tooptimize the material formulations and their feasible industrial scale processing for the effectivecommercialization.Upon success of this project, it is expected that (i) new jobs will be created in compounding and moldingindustries, (ii) value-addition will be realized for miscanthus, and (iii) significant reduction in the consumptionof petroleum derived products will be achieved through the newly developed miscanthus based compositematerials and (iv) automotive fuel efficiency will be improved due to light-weighting of automotive parts.Moreover, successful accomplishment in this research would keep University of Guelph, and Canada, at thecutting edge of research in sustainable materials for industrial uses.