Next generation biobased aerogels and hierarchically structured nanocomposites

以森林为基础的生物聚合物，包括纤维素、半纤维素和木质素，被认为是解决石油产品对环境造成的无数负面影响的新希望。为了使这些森林生物产品在市场上更容易获得和更具竞争力，必须开发具有高性能和更多功能的材料，用于性能优于合成类似物或具有超越传统材料性能的新应用。在UBC木材科学系，我们有几个领先的和新兴的研究小组从可再生构建块中开发先进的材料，包括纤维素纳米晶体（CNCs），纤维素纳米纤维（CNFs），木质素基碳纳米纤维，半纤维素纳米材料，生物基气凝胶和3D打印可持续结构，迫切需要测量其孔隙率和表面积特性。了解这些材料的比表面积和孔隙率（包括孔隙大小和尺寸分布）对于我们继续进行高质量的研究至关重要，从而在超级电容器和废水处理等生物产品中产生新的应用。要做到这一点，需要一个表面表征分析仪仪器来评估这些材料，这些材料与我们目前由NSERC资助的研究直接相关（合作研究发展资助，发现资助和参与资助）。******我们的主要重点是气凝胶和分层材料的制造，这些材料是高度多孔的，开孔的，三维固体泡沫状材料，主要由介孔（直径）组成。2-50纳米)，被相互连接的纳米颗粒包围。有了这些材料，所有三个团队成员都在努力在以下领域取得领先进展：(1)用于储能的碳质材料，(2)新型分层多孔结构，以及(3)废水处理应用。因此，我们团队中的HQP（目前共有35名HQP， 20名女性）接受了这台仪器的培训，他们将有经验和可转移的技能，适用于各个行业和广泛的应用，如碳纳米技术、吸入剂、过滤器、气体传感器、催化剂、膜技术、油漆和涂料添加剂、推进剂、电子、化妆品、储能和航空航天材料。

Forest-based biopolymers, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, are considered a new hope for addressing uncountable negative environmental effects imposed by petroleum-based products. In order for these forest bioproducts to be more accessible and competitive in the market, it is essential to develop materials with high performance and more functionality for use in new applications that outperform synthetic analogs or have properties beyond traditional materials. In the Department of Wood Science at UBC, we have several leading and emerging research groups developing advanced materials from renewable building blocks including cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), lignin-based carbon nanofibers, hemicellulose nanomaterials, biobased aerogels, and 3D printed sustainable structures that urgently need to have their porosity and surface area properties measured. Understanding the specific surface area and porosity (including pore size and size distribution) of these materials is essential for us to continue high caliber research, resulting in novel applications for bioproducts such as supercapacitors and wastewater treatment. To do this, a Surface Characterization Analyzer instrument is required to evaluate these materials that are tied directly to our current research funded by NSERC (Collaborative Research Development grants, Discover grants, and Engage Grants). ******Our main focus is the fabrication of aerogels and hierarchical materials that are highly porous, open-celled, three-dimensional solid foam-like materials that mainly are composed of mesopores (dia. 2-50 nm) surrounded by interconnected nanoparticles. With these materials all three team members are combining efforts to make leading progress in the areas of (1) carbonaceous materials for energy storage, (2) new hierarchical porous structures, and (3) waste water treatment applications. As a result the HQP in our groups (current total of 35 HQP, 20 female) trained on this instrument will have experience and transferable skills for various industries and broad range of applications such as carbon nanotechnologies, adsorbents, filters, gas sensors, catalysts, membrane technologies, paint & coatings additives, propellants, electronics, cosmetics, energy storage and aerospace materials.