Research

Bioplastics from renewable resources

Capitalizing on the inherent diversity of land and aqua plants, we design new nanocomposite materials that are compostable, hierarchical and have mechanical properties comparable to synthetic plastics. We are currently exploring plant & algae cells and tissues as a renewable biomatter resource to transform them to useful engineering materials.

Green cements

In an effort to reduce the environmental footprint associated to construction materials such as cements, we engineer and characterize cements mixtures with different types of carbon sequestrating biomatter. We focus on understanding the interactions of different types of biomatter with the cement matrix, and evaluate the effects of altering the processing conditions on the final mechanical properties of our green cements.

Life cycle assessment

We conduct life cycle assessments (LCA) to quantify the environmental impacts of our sustainable materials, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation from production to end-of-life. Using LCA-driven data, we guide decision-making to optimize the balance between material performance and environmental impact. Our research spans the entire life cycle of biomatter-based materials, emphasizing not just their carbon sequestration potential but also their biodegradability to develop truly sustainable solutions.

Biopolymer colloids

We study the stability of biopolymer colloids and seek correlations with the final properties of cast samples (for example, foams or membranes).

Biopolymer membranes

We use nanocellulose synthesized naturally from bacteria cultures to create new nanocomposites with tailored mechanical properties, or modified functionalities. For example, in Fredricks et al. (2022), we investigated the effects of lignin on the hydrophobicity and mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose.

Biofoams

We fabricate foams using different types of organic cells, tissues, or biopolymers secreted directly by micro-organisms (such as bacterial cellulose, for example). Bio-based foams could find applications for insulation, packaging, or shock absorption.

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