Development and Characterization of Bio-Materials for Sustainable Construction

全球对可持续新材料的需求日益关注。这种兴趣正迫使工业界改变其可回收性、生物可降解性的方法，并用可再生材料取代目前的油基材料。一些以石油塑料为基础的产品是可回收的，但很大一部分仍然被扔进了垃圾填埋场。这项研究将评估非食品相关的农业植物纤维材料，如大麻、红麻和黄麻，与环氧树脂混合，环氧树脂已被大豆油、松油或蓖麻油等生物基树脂所取代。小型和大型复合材料的性能（如拉伸、压缩、弯曲强度、夏比冲击韧性、循环疲劳和高低温耐久性）将进行评估，以确定其作为土木工程建筑材料的适用性。力学和化学材料相互作用的基本机制将被研究。新的市场应用可能包括空心管、用于快速施工的夹心板、镶板、瓷砖、建筑壁板和原地混凝土形式。**高素质人才的培养将允许4名本科暑期学生，高年级学生，4名硕士学生（2名全职和2名共同导师）和2名博士学生开发涉及材料选择，制造程序，实验机械测试，理论分析的过程，并推荐这种新材料的最终用途。具有生物基聚合物树脂的天然纤维已成功地应用于汽车和包装工业的某些领域，但尚未在建筑工业中得到发展。这个项目促进农业；它扩大了加拿大农业和工业的多样性。该项目的商业衍生产品包括从生物纤维生长到将纤维加工成织物。加拿大拥有大量的林业木屑和农业生物质，可以建立这样的生物树脂生产厂。这项研究计划发展了为子孙后代扩展地球自然资源所需的科学和工程。********

Attention has been growing globally on the need for new materials that are sustainable. Interest is forcing industry to change their approach to recyclability, bio-degradability and to replace current, oil-based materials with renewable ones. Some petroleum plastic based products are recyclable, but large portions still end up in our landfills. The research will evaluate non-food related agricultural plant-based fibre materials such as hemp, kenaf and jute mixed with an epoxy resin that has been substituted with a large percentage of bio-based resins such as soybean, pine or castor oils. The performance (e.g. tensile, compression, flexural bend strength, Charpy impact toughness, cyclic fatigue and high and low temperature durability) of small and larger scale composites will be evaluated to determine their suitability as civil engineering construction materials. The fundamental mechanisms of mechanical and chemical material interactions will be investigated. New market applications could include hollow tubes, sandwich panels for rapid construction, panelling, tiles, building siding and stay-in-place concrete forms.**The training of highly qualified personnel will allow 4 undergraduate summer students, upper year, 4 M.Sc. (2 full and 2 co-supervisions) and 2 Ph.D. students to develop the processes involved in the materials selection, manufacturing procedure, experimental mechanical testing, theoretical analysis and to recommend an end use for this novel material. Natural fibres with bio-based polymer resins have been successfully implemented in certain areas of the automotive and packaging industries but have not been developed in the construction industry. This program promotes farming; it expands Canada's agricultural diversity and industries. Business spin-offs from this program range from bio-fibre growth to processing of fibres into fabrics. Canada has large quantities of forestry wood scraps and agricultural biomass as such bio-resin production plants could be created. This research program develops the science and engineering needed to extend the planet's natural resources for future generations.********