Grant: Engage Grants Program

This Engage application aims at establishing a research partnership between CelluForce Inc. and Dr. Ye atLaurentian University to develop polyethylene ionomer-cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites. The preparationof nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals within polyethylene is challenging due to the thermodynamicincompatibility between the hydrophilic nanofiller and hydrophobic matrix polymer, which renders poornanofiller dispersion and weak nanofiller-matrix interactions. In the project, we will design and usepolyethylene ionomers for the construction of the nanocomposites. The polyethylene ionomers are expected tomodify the surface of the cellulose nanocrystals through strong ionic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Thisis expected to not only effectively render uniform dispersions of cellulose nanocrystals in the nanocompositesby preventing their aggregation but also establish strong matrix-nanofiller interactions, subsequently giving riseto nanocomposites of superior reinforced properties. An investigation on the synthesis, structure, and propertiesof this class of nanocomposites will be carried out. The success of this Engage research will lead tofundamental understanding of these nanocomposites and broaden the range of application for cellulosenanocrystals in the nanocomposite compounding.