The intern will apply the phosphorus polymer previously developed at UBC, as well as the H2O-soluble phosphorus polymers which will be prepared during the first two months of this internship, to the surface of paper and wood samples to study the fire retardancy of the paper samples and the fire and decay retardancy of the wood samples. The intern will react the H2O-soluble phosphorus polymers with pulp and wood samples in aqueous solutions and determine how much of the polymers are retained by the pulp and wood samples.

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFC) are under intense research as highly efficient and clean power sources for transportation and portable applications. The Cathode Catalyst Layer of PEFC, usually formed by carbon supported Pt-based catalyst, is considered as the most critical component. It involves all processes relevant for fuel cell operation. Cost and abundance of Pt is the major challenge for the commercialization of PEFC technology. Recent results in experiment and modeling indicate that catalyst activity and utilization could be improved by substantial factors.

Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFC) are under intense research as highly efficient and clean power sources for transportation and portable applications. The Cathode Catalyst Layer (CCL) of PEFC, usually formed by carbon supported Pt-based catalyst, is considered as the most critical component. It involves all processes relevant to fuel cell operation. Cost and abundance of Pt is the major challenge for the commercialization of PEFC technology. Recent results in experiment and modeling indicate that catalyst activity and utilization could be improved by substantial factors.

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a powerful emerging experimental technique which provides important information about the solvent exposed area of complex molecular systems that is not readily available through existing technologies. HDX-MS can be applied to the specific cases of small molecules binding to protein systems, which is very important for the understanding, and new design, of therapeutic compounds, including chemotherapeutic cancer drugs.

This research involves the study and development of materials that can store large amounts of hydrogen for use as a fuel in the impending “Hydrogen Economy”. This project will establish a modelling program that will dovetail with, and augment, the company’s experimental work. Calculations will be carried out on a wide range of potential hydrogen storage systems and only the most promising of these will continue to the experimental stage.

Highly efficient and environmentally clean energy conversion in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells is driven by electrochemical reactions that convert hydrogen and oxygen molecules into water. Water, the product of the overall reaction, is involved in all essential processes in the cell. Water management is, thus, a critical issue for fuel cell operation. It entails controlling water fluxes and maintaining appropriate levels of liquid water saturation in the different cell components.