How a Toronto researcher’s breakthrough in the automative industry led to winning a prestigious Mitacs Innovation Award

The challenge: Making cars lighter without sacrificing strength 

The automotive industry needs vehicles that are lighter and more efficient while maintaining strength and safety standards. Traditional glass-filled polypropylene materials have reached their limits, and manufacturers need innovative solutions that reduce vehicle weight, lower emissions, and support sustainability goals. 

The solution: Bridging academic research with industry innovation 

At the University of Toronto’s Multifunctional Composites Manufacturing Laboratory (MCML), post-doctoral researcher Nello David Sansone spent six years working alongside engineers at Aurora-based Axiom Group through the Mitacs program. 

“That firsthand experience on the industry floor, made possible through Mitacs, was life-changing for me,” said Sansone, whose fascination with materials began in his grandparents’ kitchen, where he learned to make pasta and cure meats as a child. 

The outcome: Two groundbreaking materials 

Working under Professor Patrick Lee’s supervision, Sansone developed two breakthrough materials poised to revolutionize automotive manufacturing. 

Gratek represents a historic achievement: the first composite material to successfully introduce graphene on an industrial scale. While graphene is one of the strongest and lightest materials known, car manufacturers struggled to use it because it clusters during processing, creating stress points that cause parts to fail. 

Sansone’s innovation solved this by devising a method for graphene to bond directly to glass fibers in the plastic. Using less than one percent graphene, Gratek enables manufacturers to remove 20 percent of the glass fibers typically required in industry-standard polypropylene. 

“That’s how we get an 18 to 20 percent weight reduction, but we’re not sacrificing strength,” Sansone explained. The result achieves a 20 percent improvement in strength while reducing weight by 18 percent. Axiom is marketing Gratek, with a major car manufacturer contract expected before year’s end. 

Clatek, Sansone’s second breakthrough, uses halloysite nanotubes – a bio-derived natural nanomaterial. While it performs similarly to Gratek, Clatek offers a crucial advantage: versatility in color. Unlike graphene-based Gratek, which is black, Clatek is white and can be dyed for broader applications across car parts. The material is expected to be commercially available within two years. 

Both materials reduce wear and tear on manufacturing equipment by lowering glass content, solving a costly operational challenge for manufacturers who constantly replace processing equipment. 

Beyond automotive: Defense applications 

Leveraging knowledge gained through his Mitacs-supported work, Sansone co-founded NanoMorphix, a U of T spin-off developing AegisX™ Transparent Armour and AegisX™ Textile Armour technologies for ballistic and blast resistance across defense, personal body armor, and high-security applications. 

“None of this would have happened without Mitacs and the incredible collaboration between all of the team partners,” said Sansone. “That one opportunity turned out to be way bigger than I ever imagined it would be.” 

Recognition and impact

Sansone’s groundbreaking work earned him a Mitacs Innovation Award in Outstanding Innovation. He is one of only 11 Mitacs award winners nationally, chosen from thousands of researchers who participate in Mitacs programs each year. The award was presented at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on November 17, 2025.

“At a time when we need to build a stronger and more resilient economy, these eleven innovators and organizations demonstrate what’s possible when we invest in ideas, talent, and innovation,” said Mitacs CEO Dr. Stephen Lucas. 

Sansone’s journey illustrates the transformative power of Mitacs programs in building Canada’s innovation ecosystem. By connecting academic researchers with industry partners, Mitacs creates opportunities for breakthrough innovations that address real-world challenges while developing the next generation of highly skilled professionals.