Innovative Projects Realized

Optimization of Impact Diverting Membrane on Bicycle Helmet

Head Injury Prevention (HIP) Lab at Simon Fraser University in collaboration with Shield-X Technology Inc. had previously developed an impact diverting mechanism in the form of a thin multi-layered-membrane. The technology has been successfully integrated onto the exterior of a football helmet (external version) to reduce linear and rotational acceleration experienced during impact to the head. The research will focus mainly on how to adopt the technology by adding it into the interior of a single-impact helmet such as bicycle helmet without changing the exterior appearance of the helmet. A

Impact de la représentation visuelle des recommandations basée sur l’intelligence artificielle en contexte de prise de décisions d’assortiment

Les tests utilisateurs de nouvelles générations ont recours à des technologies de pointe comme l’occulométrie, l’analyse faciale et de l’activité célébrale et capturent de précieuses informations quant à l’ergonomie et l’usage des interfaces logicielles. Ces pratiques exigent une rigueur et une précision qui obligent les différentes industries à repenser leur méthodologie de développement de produits et leur chaine de production.
L’industrie de l’édition scolaire est en pleine mutation. L’édition numérique ainsi que l’émergence des plateformes de diffusion du matériel scolaire ont modifié la manière dont le contenu de l’apprentissage est délivré à l’apprenant et impacte l’ensemble de son expérience d’apprentissage. L’étude du chercheur vise à définir comment intégrer efficacement et de manière réaliste les nouvelles générations de tests utilisateurs dans le processus de production et à recommander des outils de mesure de l’impact positif de l’efficacité de ces pratiques dans les produits d’apprentissage.

Conception d’un livre blanc pour la création écosystème d’innovation dans le secteur aérospatial québéc

Les écosystèmes d’innovations sont au coeur des nouvelles dynamiques de générations d’idées qui nourrissent les processus d’innovation modernes. Ce projet a pour but d’étudier ces entités et de fournir un livre blanc au Consortium de Recherche et d’Innovation en Aérospatiale au Québec (CRIAQ) contenant un guide de meilleures pratiques afin que ce dernier puisse créer, faire croitre et gérer un écosystème d’innovation au sein de l’industrie aérospatiale québécoise. Cet écosystème aura le potentiel d’offrir un avantage compétitif aux compagnies aérospatiales québécoises en améliorant leur coopération et leur capacité à innover.

Carbon dioxide: Alternative solutions for conversion of captured liquefied CO2 into valuable fuels – Year two

The partner organisation, Sigma Energy Storage, develops energy storage by gas compression. This technology is based on the storage of electricity from intermittent energy sources, such as wind or solar power, and the recovery of unused electricity from diesel-based power sources located in remote communities not connected to the electrical power grid system. During the gas compression, carbon dioxide can be liquefied and extracted. The proposed project aims to convert CO2 into valuable fuels through electrochemical process. The generated fuels would be re-used to fuel generators and other devices in order to decrease greenhouse gases emissions. Catalysts made of graphene and metal nanoparticles are studied to make the CO2 conversion feasible at an industrial level. The project will benefit Sigma by providing a solution to the captured CO2 through its process.

Carbon dioxide: Alternative solutions for conversion of captured liquefied CO2 into valuable fuels

The partner organisation, Sigma Energy Storage, develops energy storage by gas compression. This technology is based on the storage of electricity from intermittent energy sources, such as wind or solar power, and the recovery of unused electricity from diesel-based power sources located in remote communities not connected to the electrical power grid system. During the gas compression, carbon dioxide can be liquefied and extracted. This project aims to convert the liquid carbon dioxide into a valuable fuel, which could be reused to fuel the generators or other devices and decrease the overall carbon footprint. To achieve an electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide into a valuable fuel, a catalyst made of graphene and copper nanoparticles will be developed based on recent research findings and the expertise of the partner laboratory.

Development of industrially scalable graphene oxide acoustic transducers – Year two

ORA has developed a unique audio solution based on the use of graphene oxide (GO), an oxidized graphene produced by a scalable chemical method. GO shows a good balance of stiffness, density and damping when assembled into micrometers thick layered structure and has been shown to perform significantly better than commercial diaphragms by ORA. The biggest current challenge is to further decrease the production time and cost to an industrially viable level while maintaining the structural ordering and properties of the diaphragm. Here, we propose different chemical formulations and manufacturing solutions that will enable roll to roll production of GO diaphragms with minimal compromise on its properties. The development of these processes will help ORA complete its first customer delivery of over 3000 pairs of headphones and in the long run and pave the way for the mass production of its diaphragm material.

Development of industrially scalable graphene oxide acoustic transducers

The excellent mechanical properties and its lightness make graphene a revolutionary material as efficient audio transducers for speakers and headphones. Several studies have reported the superior performance of graphene diaphragm in electrostatic and thermoacoustic transducers [1-2]. However, these graphene diaphragms are produced from expensive methods with low scalability and are not suitable for application in the more popular mechanical transducer.
ORA has developed a unique audio solution based on the use of graphene oxide (GO), an oxidized graphene produced by a scalable chemical method [3]. GO shows a good balance of stiffness, density and damping [4-5] when assembled into micrometers thick layered structure and has been shown to perform significantly better than commercial diaphragms by ORA. The biggest current challenge is to further decrease the production time and cost to an industrially viable level while maintaining the structural ordering and properties of the diaphragm. TO BE CONT’D

Carbon dioxide capture and concentration from combustion flue gases byadsorption based technology

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 will be synthesized in the lab, and then characterized by

XRD, SEM or TEM technique. The obtained mesoporous silicas will then be functionalized

with four types of amino groups: monomeric unhindered (3-aminopropyl) and hindered

(pyrrolidinepropyl), polymerized aminopropyl group and polyethyleneimine (PEl) based on the

graft method reported in the literature.

This type of ordered mesoporous materials offer structural characteristics such as

large pore size, high surface area, and a large number of highly dispersed active sites on the

pore surface, which facilitates the distribution of amines throughout the pore space, thereby

promoting the C02 adsorption.

BET surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution, surface properties and

sorbate-adsorbent interactions of SBA-15 materials will be determined using standard

techniques, such as nitrogen adsorption at 77 K, and spectroscopic characterizations using

TGAIDSC and FT-IR. Adsorption and diffusion characterizations and column dynamics will

also be performed to test the CO2 capture ability of the material.

Prédiction de la durée de vie résiduelle des transformateurs de puissance à partir de traceurs chimiques générés par les papiers isolants (cellulosiques, polymériques et hybrides) – Year two

Le vieillissement graduel des transformateurs de puissance (éléments les plus importants de réseau électrique), associé à la croissance de la demande en électricité, augmente le risque de voir les équipements à risque tomber en panne et entraîner des coupures d’électricité. La durée de vie de ces équipements étant liée à celle de leur isolation solide, il est nécessaire de développer des outils pour surveiller les différentes étapes de son vieillissement.
L’isolation solide dans le transformateur étant difficilement accessible, des techniques indirectes par analyses de traceurs chimiques dissous dans l’huile sont utilisées pour quantifier son état. La recherche proposée offrira non seulement des avantages économiques importants à Hydro-Québec, mais aura également comme conséquence d’améliorer de façon significative la fiabilité des transformateurs et de répondre de façon durable aux besoins en électricité des utilisateurs. Si l’on peut retirer les unités à risque à temps, il devient possible d’éviter des pannes catastrophiques.TO BE CONT’D

Prédiction de la durée de vie résiduelle des transformateurs de puissance à partir de traceurs chimiques générés par les papiers isolants (cellulosiques, polymériques et hybrides)

La fiabilité des installations électriques du Canada contribue directement à la vitalité économique et à la qualité de vie des citoyens. Le vieillissement graduel des transformateurs de puissance (éléments les plus importants de réseau électrique), associé à la croissance de la demande en électricité, augmente le risque de voir les équipements à risque tomber en panne et entraîner des coupures d’électricité. La durée de vie de ces équipements étant liée à celle de leur isolation solide, il est nécessaire de développer des outils pour surveiller les différentes étapes de son vieillissement. L’isolation solide dans le transformateur étant difficilement accessible, des techniques indirectes par analyses de traceurs chimiques dissous dans l’huile sont utilisées pour quantifier son état. TO BE CONT’D

Fabrication of a 3 dimensional graphene/metal oxide composites membrane for water filtration – Year two

There is a demand in the market for an economical and efficient handheld seawater desalinator. The goal of this project is to develop graphene based membrane technology which will first provide a handheld personal desalinator and then be scalable to a higher flow rate single family point of use. In this direction graphene/metal oxide/polymer composites membrane will be synthesized by using a low cost chemical method with the possibility of scale up. Combining graphene oxide with metal oxide nano particles enhances the water desalinator capabilities thanks to the antimicrobial properties of metal oxide nano particles. The polymer works as a cross linker between the graphene oxide flakes to improve their physical stability during the filtration test. The company will benefit from the results on membrane synthesis, with a perspective of a larger scale production. Eventually, the body of the device will be designed at the partner company.

Fabrication of a 3 dimensional graphene/metal oxide composites membrane for water filtration

There is a demand in the market for an economical and efficient handheld seawater desalinator. The goal of this project is to develop graphene based membrane technology which will first provide a handheld personal desalinator and then be scalable to a higher flow rate single family point of use desalinator. In this direction 2 and 3 dimensional graphene/metal oxide composites membrane will be synthesized by using a low cost chemical method (Hummer) with the possibility of scale up. The size of the pores along the graphene oxide membrane will be controlled to a nanometer scale to filter the small sized Na+ and Cl- ions which are the most contributor of seawater contamination. Combining graphene oxide with metal oxide nano particles enhances the water desalinator capabilities thanks to the antimicrobial properties of metal oxide nano particles. TO BE CONT’D