We’re raising a coffee cup (and a slice of cake) to Nicole!
After an amazing nine years in our lab at U of T, Nicole is moving on. It’s hard to imagine the lab without her, but we’re thrilled to see her take this next step.
Nicole joined us back in 2016 and has been a key part of the team ever since, completing her Master’s, PhD, and a Post-doc all with our group. We’ve been so lucky to have her as a colleague.
The industry is lucky to get her. We wish her the best of luck!
Carbon Dioxide Responsive Polymers: Design, Properties, and Applications
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) responsive polymers exhibit reversible property changes triggered by atmospheric-pressure CO₂, offering promising potential for various applications. These smart materials provide distinct advantages over conventional stimuli-responsive polymers, notably the use of CO₂ as a nontoxic, cost-effective, and environmentally benign trigger. This lecture will explore the molecular design of CO₂-switchable systems, focusing on polymers with tertiary amine and amidine functionalities. These materials undergo reversible transitions from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states via protonation and deprotonation, a mechanism that avoids accumulation of waste byproducts. Professor Cunningham will discuss key design considerations, such as functional group basicity and concentration, and their role in optimizing switching efficiency. Practical implementations of these materials will be showcased, including switchable nanoparticles, viscosity modifiers, hydrogels, coatings, and surfaces. Applications range from smart coatings to forward osmosis water purification technologies, highlighting the versatility and real-world relevance of CO₂-responsive polymer systems.
When: June 10 @ 10:00 am
Where: Room WB215
Host: Prof. Ning Yan
Bio:
Professor Michael Cunningham holds the Donald and Sarah Munro Research Chair in Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University. His research focuses on polymer nanoparticle synthesis, CO₂-switchable polymers, and sustainable polymeric materials, especially those combining synthetic and bio-based components. He currently serves as Chair of the International Polymer Colloids Group and has received multiple prestigious awards, including the NSERC Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research, the Canadian Green Chemistry and Engineering Award, and the Macromolecular Science and Engineering Award. Dr. Cunningham is a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the Engineering Institute of Canada. He has made significant contributions to the field of polymer science, particularly in the development of environmentally responsive and sustainable materials.
Five group members from Professor Ning Yan’s lab including Haonan Zhang, Cheng Hao, Nicole Tratnik, Araz Rajabi and Mohammad Mahaninia, showcased their work at the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference (CSChE 2024) in Toronto from October 6th to October 9th.
At this four day conference the work of Professor Yan’s group was presented among many successful chemical engineers from across the country.
On Friday July 19th, Professor Tong from Georgia Tech University paid a visit and gave a talk about the various work being done in the Tong Lab.
Dr. Tong has been an Associate Professor and James C. Barber Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech since January 2022. She is also the initiative leader in waste valorization in the food-water-energy nexus of the Renewable Bioproduct Institute (RBI). Previously, she served as an assistant and associate professor since 2010 at the University of Florida. She earned her Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech in 2007, followed by work at Ch2M Hill until 2009. Tong’s research focuses on synthesizing functional sustainable materials and catalytical conversion for biochemicals and biofuels from renewable resources. She has published 73 journal papers and 4 patents. Her research has been supported by NSF, USDA, NAS, and DOE. She secured about $5 million in grants after joining Georgia Tech in 2022. Dr. Tong has also served as an associate editor for three journals and held leadership roles in AIChE.
Her talk is summarized below:
Self-assembly of Multiple Functional Biomaterials for Food-Water-Energy Nexus
Bioresource materials such as cellulose, chitin, and lignin, are usually low-cost,
biocompatible, and abundant in nature. The synthesis of functional materials from these
bioresource materials can address long-term challenges in Food-water-Energy Nexus, such as resource and energy depletion, food security, water scarcity, and climate change. However, the adaption of chemical functionalization and self-assembling methodologies to renewable resource materials for functional materials is very challenging due to their macromolecular structures, heterogeneous properties, poor solubility, and the disturbance of impurities. In this talk, we will summarize how we explore self-assembly methods to produce new nanostructures and endure new functions for renewable resource materials. Several examples will be discussed. For example, glycerol, a biowaste from the biodiesel process, has been assembled into a nano-core-shell structure for a smart food packaging film sensor for universal real-time food spoilage monitoring. Biomass waste or cellulose can be assembled as multiple-function controlled-release fertilizers and smart membranes. Ultimately, we would like to use these self-assembly nanostructures from renewable resources to achieve a high-efficiency circular bioeconomy.
Thank you for your informative visit Professor Tong!
On Tuesday July 16, Dr. Hongbo Li from the National Research Council of Canada came to Prof. Ning Yan’s lab to give a talk on the various projects being conducted at the NRC.
Thank you for your informative visit Dr. Li
Join WISE on Wednesday, March 8th from 6 – 10 pm at our annual International Women’s Day Gala!
This formal event commemorates the incredible achievements of women everywhere with the promise of great conversations, inspirational speakers, a stunning performance, and a delicious dinner. Tickets for the event can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/537116027497. Early bird tickets are currently on sale, get them while they last!
On June 18, 2021, Nicole Tratnik presented a talk on the effect of amylose and amylopectin content on epoxidation and adhesion properties at the 25th Annual ACS Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference.
UTM will host an online screening of the Tribeca Film Festival selected film, Picture a Scientist.
“PICTURE A SCIENTIST chronicles the groundswell of researchers who are writing a new chapter for women scientists. Biologist Nancy Hopkins, chemist Raychelle Burks, and geologist Jane Willenbring lead viewers on a journey deep into their own experiences in the sciences, ranging from brutal harassment to years of subtle slights. Along the way, from cramped laboratories to spectacular field stations, we encounter scientific luminaries – including social scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists – who provide new perspectives on how to make science itself more diverse, equitable, and open to all.”
Following the film, a panel of four researchers including Professor Ning Yan will have a discussion. Register online for the links for the viewing and discussion here.
This morning Prof. Ning Yan and Ph.D Candidate Nicole Tratnik were present at Ontario’s Universities Advance Manufacturing Networking and Panel Discussion event.
This event contained select researchers from Universities all over Ontario, stakeholders and MPP’s.
#AdvancedMFG #onpoli
Leading up to the event U of T news featured Ning Yan in a recent article:
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/future-proofing-ontario-s-economy-u-t-researchers-showcase-advanced-manufacturing-innovations
Yan Lab 