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We work in supramolecular materials. What we try to do is to take simple
building blocks-molecules and ions-and make them assemble
into new, useful materials.
I think our most significant discovery is the use of cellulose, now
crystalline cellulose, as a template for building
new materials. So a couple of years ago we were approached
by a non-profit organization, FP Innovations, which is
trying to develop new materials from forests. And one of
the materials that they have pioneered is called
nanocrystalline cellulose. And this is a material that's
obtained just from pulp and paper. So if you treat pulp
and paper under the right conditions, you can isolate
these small nanocrystals of cellulose. And they have
a unique property-they organize into a helical assembly in water.
And we've been using that as a template to build new solid-state materials.
So what we found was that, by using nanocrystalline
cellulose and combining that with a glass precursor, that
we could transfer this structure, this helical structure of the
cellulose into a porous glass. And this has allowed us to
make some really unique glasses that have structures that mimic
the iridescent shells of beetles. And because of this unique structure,
these materials have photonic properties. They reflect specific wavelengths
of light, which we can tune all the way from the infrared to the ultraviolet.
So one application we're looking at is coating building windows
with these materials to reduce the amount of heating that
occurs inside of the building, and, therefore, ultimately to
reduce the amount of air conditioning that's required
in the building to keep it cool.
I've had several strong partnerships with different companies in
Vancouver and in Canada, which have been funded
by NSERC Strategic Projects grants and also Collaborative
Research and Development Grants, (CRD). NSERC funding has been
essential to our research program. It's funded not only students but
also all of our fundamental science, and it's allowed us to develop
new interactions with industry from which we've really benefited.