Research
The 21st century demands smarter and more efficient use of natural resources, not only through preprocessing but by adding significant value to maintain Canada’s leadership in the global industrial landscape. The Centre for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing (CBBP) has been at the forefront of this mission, conducting multidimensional research driven by a commitment to environmental sustainability and industrial innovation.
Our laboratories pursue a broad range of research themes, including advanced bio-nanotechnology. CBBP is developing next-generation, energy-efficient, lightweight performance nanomaterials for applications in aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and electronics industries.
Several of our dedicated researchers are addressing key challenges faced by the Canadian pulp and paper sector. Their work focuses on improving the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of biorefinery systems, including the transformation of residual biomass into high-value chemicals and composite materials.
In addition, our research teams are advancing the utilization of bio-based raw materials such as cellulose fibres, vegetable oils, rubber, and starch for commercial and industrial applications, paving the way toward a greener and more prosperous future.
Advanced Battery Technologies
The group led by Prof. Mohini Sain at the University of Toronto is committed to advancing battery technologies that are crucial for electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable energy storage. The team focuses on a wide array of battery chemistries, including lithium-sulfur (Li-S), nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), and lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO). These systems are explored for their potential to meet the energy density, efficiency, and longevity requirements of modern EVs and renewable energy solutions.
Our research spans materials development, where the group is working on cutting-edge anode and cathode materials, functional separators, and quasi-gel electrolytes. These materials are designed to improve ionic conductivity, enhance electrochemical performance, and reduce capacity loss over extended cycles. The team also focuses on optimizing separators and electrolytes to ensure better interfacial compatibility and minimize polysulfide shuttling in lithium-sulfur systems. Alongside materials development, extensive cell testing is carried out using advanced techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) evaluations. We perform a range of cell configurations, including half cells, symmetric cells, and full cells, to assess the performance, degradation, and life cycle of the battery systems.
Postmortem analysis is a critical part of our research, helping us understand structural and chemical changes after cycling. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD), we examine lattice and structural changes in electrodes, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals chemical transformations at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is employed to assess film cracking and surface degradation, and EIS allows us to study the resistance at the electrode/electrolyte interface. To monitor real-time behavior, we conduct operando analysis, including in-situ XRF spectroscopy to track undesired reactions in working cells.
Our computational modeling efforts integrate machine learning, density functional theory (DFT), and simulations using tools like ANSYS and COMSOL Multiphysics to predict and optimize material properties and cell performance. In addition to electrochemical and structural analysis, the team addresses safety concerns, including thermal runaway, by employing IR imaging, nail penetration tests, and stress failure analysis to understand battery stability under extreme conditions.
Finally, we are actively engaged in the sustainability aspect of battery technologies, focusing on recycling critical materials and repurposing used batteries to reduce environmental impact. This holistic approach ensures that our battery systems are not only high-performance but also environmentally friendly and ready for the demands of the green energy transition.
Bionanotechnology
Bio-inspired transformation of glucose and other enzyme-derived biochemicals forms the foundation of Prof. Sain’s bionanotechnology platform, with a strong emphasis on biocatalysis. His research investigates how enzymes and protein-based micro-machines generate functional properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity, self-breathing, self-healing, and light emission through their controlled intra- and extra-cellular growth in nutrient-rich environments. By precisely managing their size, phase, origin, and functionality, these enzyme-based systems exhibit exceptional characteristics comparable to advanced materials, including superconductors, nanoporous separation membranes, barrier materials, biopolymers, high-strength fibrous structures, and shock-absorbing materials. Applications of these enzyme-derived devices span sensing, thermal and electrical conduction, self-healing biomaterials, natural-product-based molecular synthesis, hydrogels, and more, forming the core of his research agenda.
Bio-inspired Advanced Materials
Carbon-dioxide-derived advanced materials form a central focus of this research theme. One major area involves developing rapid prototyping technologies using 3D printing across fully bio-derived structural composite platforms. The team works not only on creating CO₂-based composite systems by catalytically through photocatalysis or solar-driven processes converting CO₂ into methanol as a monomeric feedstock, but also on using CO₂ as a gas-phase reactant for bubble nucleation and foam-core bi-layered structural carbon materials.
For example, lightweight 3D-printed ducts for aerospace interior heat-management systems require strong, renewable, nano-reinforced natural materials as the core structure, combined with a shell layer formed from CO₂-nucleated high-performance polymer foams produced in a single-step process.
A deep understanding of the thermodynamic and viscoelastic behaviour of these novel materials is essential for achieving high-throughput and cost-effective production of a wide range of mobility-system components. Fundamental studies of fluid flow, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamic properties, therefore, remain key pillars of this research theme.
Functional and Lightweight Carbon/Biocarbon Materials
Prof. Sain’s team is developing next-generation, energy-efficient, lightweight, and functional nanomaterials by advancing the catalytic conversion of biomass into layered biocarbon structures derived from forest and agricultural residues. These materials are targeted for high-performance applications across aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and electronics sectors.
The controlled transformation of naturally occurring carbon into graphite-like structures enables the creation of nanolayered graphene materials with exceptional functional properties. These include biocarbon dots for lighting devices, supercapacitor behaviour for energy-storage systems, and high thermal conductivity for heat-management applications.
His research focuses on understanding the fundamental physico-chemical and morphological interactions of biocarbon materials across macro-, micro-, and nanoscale biomolecular architectures, providing pathways for advanced functional materials built from renewable carbon sources.
Developments of Sustainable Bipolar Plates for Next-Gen PEMFCs
In this research area, we are focused and visioned toward developing advanced materials that improve the performance, durability, and sustainability of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Particular emphasis is placed on the design of lightweight, corrosion-resistant bipolar plates. We develop high-conductivity carbon-polymer composites, engineer biomimetic protective coatings for metallic plates, and produce highly graphitized biocarbon materials derived from renewable biomass sources. Utilizing an integrated methodology that combines experimental fabrication, sophisticated characterization techniques, and multiphysics simulations (e.g., COMSOL), we investigate how surface architecture, molecular transformations, corrosion mechanisms, and interfacial charge transport influence the long-term operation of PEMFCs. Our preliminary results with carbon-polymer and biocarbon composites demonstrate electrical conductivities reaching up to 221 S/cm and flexural strengths of up to 52 MPa, performance metrics that exceed current U.S. DOE targets. Building upon these initial findings, our ongoing research aims to advance towards next-generation architectures with higher conductivity and improved mechanical robustness. Additionally, our sustainable graphitic biocarbons exhibit promising semi-metallic electronic structures, low activation energies, and substantial resistance to corrosion (polarization resistance up to 5.96 kΩ·cm²), laying the groundwork for future high-performance bipolar plate systems with optimized charge transport and enhanced durability. Concurrently, our biomimetic hybrid coatings employ robust coordination networks, tailored pore chemistries, and π-conjugated pathways to mitigate corrosion and reduce interfacial contact resistance on stainless steel plates. Collectively, these innovations facilitate the development of lightweight, durable, and cost-effective hydrogen-powered solutions, supporting the transition to clean, renewable energy technologies for medium- and heavy-duty transportation.