This project will demonstrate the cause and effect of industrial material failures in the harsh Newfoundland climate under the general umbrella of corrosion. Our main focus is materials used in the marine and oil & gas industries.

Micro-scale particles composed of high-voltage spinel LNMO (LiNi1-xMnxO4) will be characterized using electron microscopy techniques. These particles are stabilized through the inclusion of coating materials. The methods to prepare these particle coatings consisted of either an in-situ or post-synthetic method. The interface between the particle and the coating will be characterized at the atomic-scale by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM).

Buckwheat contains an active ingredient that lowers blood glucose in diabetic rats. The active ingredient is not a known compound such as chiro-inositol or rutin. The goal of this project is to fractionate buckwheat by a technique known as countercurrent chromatography (CCC) and determine the presence of a biological activity.

Developed advanced carbonaceous materials from processed biomass is of interest for integration into a variety of high performance applications including, plastics, rubbers, adsorbents, and chemicals. Origin Materials has a patented process that converts waste biomass into 5-chloromethlyfurfural (CMF), furfural and hydrothermal carbon (HTC) as a by-product.

The 21st century has witnessed an increased prevalence of men and women removing unwanted body hair for cosmetic, social, cultural, or medical reasons. When not done properly, the removal of unwanted hair can lead to injuries to the skin and can cause ingrown hairs, also known as razor bumps. The prevention of ingrown hairs is highly dependent on utilizing post-hair removal treatments (e.g.

Infections acquired through long-term catheter use are a major problem for nearly 20% of all patients. This project seeks to apply Econous Systems’ anti-fouling MEG-OH coating to biomedical plastic catheters to see if they prevent the 3 most common microbes: E. coli, C. Albicans and S. Aureus, f rom growing. This will initially involve in vitro testing using a flow-through model to simulate blood flow, monitoring first static and then dynamic microbe growth using fluorescence microscopy. In vivo testing will follow using rats as a preclinical m

This project involves the synthesis, characterization and evaluation of new low-molecular weight gelators for cleaning up oil spills. First responders to oil spills can add these gelators to the oil / water mixture to prevent spreading of the oil before additional resources are available to clean up the spill. This project will involve collaboration with BCResearch, a company located in the Lower Mainland of BC.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia which worsens over time. Current therapeutic against Alzheimer’s disease provides only symptomatic treatment. This limited effectiveness provides us with an opportunity to direct our research efforts towards developing new agents to prevent or retard the disease. Studies have shown that very small amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical found in marijuana, can slow the production of Amyloid beta (A?) protein. This protein is found to be the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and a key contributor in its progression.