Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The present project aims at developing light and cost-effective graphene-enhanced thermoplastic composites and study the resistance of these materials to weathering and especially UV degradation as well as their recycling. It will reinforce a collaboration program between NanoXplore, the largest producer of industrial grade graphene in Canada (with an annual production of graphene of 10 000 tons/year) and the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Ecole de Technologie Supérieure de Montreal (ETS). The project will consist of three principal objectives 1) Study different processing techniques to produce graphene nanocomposites, 2) Study the resistance of graphene nanocomposites to weathering and especially UV degradation 3) Study of recycling of the composites. 2 professors, 2 PhD, 2 Master students and one research associate part time of ETS will participate in these three years project. From NanoXplore, three research scientists, one process specialist, one group leader and one manager from the Product Development department will participate. The experimental work will be partially carried out at NanoXplore and partially at ETS. The knowledge acquired in this project will benefit the Canadian industry of composites. The project will enhance Canada's position as a producer of advanced materials.