Next generation biobased aerogels and hierarchically structured nanocomposites

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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.