Centre for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing (CBBP)

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
What the facility does

Research of sustainable manufacturing; synergy between nanotech and biotech; nano-biomaterials design, manufacturing and scale-up; commercial scale demonstration and industry support for technology transfer.

Areas of expertise

The Centre for Biocomposites and Biomaterials Processing provides research and commercial scale up opportunities for nanocellulose and nanocellulose composites; biofoams, biocomposites; thermoforming, profile and injection molded product; sustainable and lightweight product manufacturing for automotive and aerospace sectors.

Nanobiomaterials optimization; composite processing; R&D and prototyping services (injection moulding, sheeting extrusion and compounding), with specific focus on using renewable bio-material and developing and providing technology for high-performance composite products for building and construction; packaging, consumer goods and technical goods. The Centre also conducts properties evaluations of plastics, bioplastics, enzymes, biological strains, composite samples, and is involved in bio-material based nanofiber production and nanocomposite application. We also provide proteomic analysis and fermentation services. Nanocellulose pilot scale production with and without enzymatic modifications.

Research services

Fibre-reinforced composite research and development, prototyping service, injection-moulding, sheeting extrusion and compounding, high-end composite production, properties evaluation of composite samples, nanofibre production, nanocomposite application, proteomic analysis, fermentation service.

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Automotive
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Education
  • Forestry and forest-based industries
  • Manufacturing and processing
Specialized lab Equipment Function
Bio-composite Processing lab Lab co-rotating twin screw extruder with side feeder and pelletizer

Suitable for compounding polymers with different additives, bio-material-based filler :

  • Model: Onyx TEC-25/40
  • Throughput: 2 ~ 10 kg/hr
  • Screw diameter: 25mm
  • L/D Ratio: 40
  Full size industry injection moulding machine  
  • Model: Onyx IM-380
  • Shot weight: 1115 g
  • Injection pressure: 1698 kg/cm2
  • Clamping force: 380 ton
  • Max daylight: 1450 mm
  Co-rotating twin screw extruder compounding line
  • One 65-mm co-rotation parallel twin-screw extruder for compounding polymer and additives or bio-fillers;
  • One die-face cutting pelletizing line to convert melt into pellet
  • L/D ratio: 44
  • Maximum screw rpm: 600
  • Throughput: up to 200 kg/hour
  Composite sheet line (consisting of co-rotating twin screw extruder, single extruder and three-roll calendar line)

Making fiber (such as micro cellulose, glass, or carbon fiber) reinforced polymer composite sheet

  • One 120 mm single extruder to convey melt from up twin-screw extruder into the sheet die
  • One 3-roller calendar sheet line including conveyer, puller and cutter
  • Roll diameter: 35 mm
  • Sheet thickness: 1 to 3 mm
  • Sheet width: 45 mm 
 

AEC dehumidifying (desiccant) material dryer from AEC Inc.

 

Generating very low dew point hot air to dry moisture sensitive polymer (PET, PLA etc),  

  • Model: AD60/4.0p
  • Dried air CFM: 60
  • Hopper capacity: 4 cubic feet
Proteomic Lab 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF™ Analyzer from Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX Generating MS spectrum by ionization and time of flight of protein peptides.
  EXQuest Spot Cutter from BIO-RAD Laboratories Inc. For cutting the proteins and transfer into the gel plate for trypsin digestion
  2D electrophoreses cell (Protean/IEF Cell) Separate proteins by IEF and SDS-PAGE
  Janus Automated Liquid Handling System Used to handle a vast number of liquid samples
  Bio-Rad Image Scanner For image scan of gels
Analytical and Testing Lab FT-IR TENSOR 27 spectrometer from Bruker Corporation

Rapidly identify, quantify and verify routine samples

  • Spectra range of 7500-370 cm-1 with standard KBr beam-splitter, resolution better than 1 cm-1.
  • Equipped with micro ATR sampling accessory,
  • OPUS software allows data acquisition, manipulation and evaluation in one intuitive package
  SENTERRA Raman spectrometer from Bruker Corporation Full-featured dual laser Raman spectrometer with confocal microscope system that accommodates multiple excitation wave lengths with the highest possible spatial resolution.
  X-ray micro-computed 3D tomograph (SkyScan 1172 desktop) from Bruker

Allows cutting  virtual sections or even fly-through samples non-destructively. No preparation, coating or vacuum treatment necessary

  • Maximum specimen size: 20 mm diameter, 50 mm height for standard scan
  • Pixel size: 5 - 35µm
  • Scan duration:  15 – 300 minutes
     
  RH200 Capillary Rheometer from Bohlin Instrument Bench top capillary rheometer provides highly flexible measurement capabilities and configuration options for a wide variety of applications.
  Insron Universal Tester Model 3367

For tensile, flexural and compression test

with 2 kN and 30 kN load cells.

 

Instron Dynatup-Drop Weight Impact Testing Instrument

 

  • Model 8200
  • Standard drop weight mass: 3.0 to 13.6 kg
  • Adjustable increments: 1.1 kg
  • Max. drop height: 1.0 m
  • Max. velocity: 4.4 m/s
  • Impact energy range: 1.356 to 132.8 J (1 to 97.9 ft lb)
 

Environmental chamber

 

Providing testing environment over a wide range of temperature and humidity from 20% to 95%.

  • Model: Burnsco WTH-6-6-8/5
  • Chamber dimension: 96” H X 72” W X 72” L
Nano Cellulose Fibre Procession Lab Lab Homogenizer Panda from Niro Soavi SpA,  Italy
  • Reducing samples dimension to Nano scale
  • Processing pressure: up to 1500 bars
  • Sample viscosity: < 20000 cp
  • Temperature: < 90°C
  • Ingredion Canada Inc.
  • Powertrain Engineering Research and Development Center
  • Omtec Inc.
  • Performance Materials of DSM Corp.
  • Bayview Flowers Ltd.
  • Tembec inc.
  • Crest Mold Technology Inc.
  • AV Cell Inc.
  • Total American Services Inc.
  • Alliance Surface Finishing Inc.
Title URL
Green Technologies from Biomass http://www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2013/3501/3_gu.html#author