The context of this thesis is a research project focused on the investigation of a renewable biopolymer-poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a potential replacement of petroleum-based polymers in advanced nanocomposites reinforced with Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). MFC is extracted from wood, which is a renewable, sustainable, carbon neutral and recyclable material. This...
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have received considerable attention over the last ten years because CNCs can be produced from renewable materials such as straw, wood, cotton, and sea animals (tunicates). CNCs are slender rods with high aspect ratios (10-100) and the final dimensions of the CNCs depend on the starting material....
Thermoelectric materials are playing a larger role in the global effort to
develop diverse, efficient, and sustainable energy technologies: primarily through
power-generating thermoelectric modules. The principal components of
thermoelectric modules are solid-state thermoelectric materials – typically heavily
doped semiconductors – that convert heat directly into electricity. However, this
conversion efficiency...