We are excited to share that our recent paper, “Biobased Bionic Spider Silk via Electrostatic Complexation for Simultaneously Harvesting Atmospheric Water and Triboelectric Energy”, has been featured in the Nanowerk Spotlight series!
🔗 Read the full article on Nanowerk
We are thrilled to share that our very own post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Cheng Hao, has received the Best Paper Award at the 2025 Polyurethanes Technical Conference (PolyCon 2025).
Cheng’s presentation, “Lignin-Derived Flame Retardant for Enhancing Fire Safety of Polyurethanes,” was recognized for its innovation and industrial relevance among professionals from across the globe. Congratulations, Cheng!
To read the official announcement and learn more, visit Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry’s website.
We are proud to share that Dr. Mohammad Mahaninia has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Chair’s Discovery Award from the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto. This recognition honors his exceptional research productivity and innovative contributions to sustainable polymeric materials—including flame retardants and water purification systems.
To read the official announcement and learn more, visit Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry’s website.
On June 10th 2025, Mohammad successfully defended his PhD thesis, “Development of Environmental-friendly Chitosan-based Multifunctional Covalent Adaptable Network (CAN) Polymer Materials”. Congrats Moe! Great work.
OMNI recently interviewed Professor Ning Yan, focusing on sustainability and the innovative approaches driving environmental responsibility. In the discussion, Professor Yan shared insights on sustainable practices and advancements that contribute to a greener future.
She highlighted key developments in eco-friendly technologies, emphasizing the importance of scientific innovation in tackling global sustainability challenges. Her research offers valuable perspectives on creating solutions that reduce environmental impact while fostering long-term sustainability.
Check out the full interview to learn more about Professor Yan’s work and vision for a sustainable future.
The front cover art for the manuscript: “Catalyst-Free Biodegradable Chitosan-Based Dual Dynamic Covalent Networks with Self-Healing and Flame-Retardant Properties” by Mohammad Mahaninia and Ning Yan has been published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
You can read the article for this feature here
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.
Ph.D Candidate, Kabirat Bello, was awarded the CPI Travel Honoraria to present
her research at the 2024 Polyurethanes Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Her
presentation was titled, “Exploring Lignin-Containing Nanocellulose Fibrils
(LCNFs) for Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Insulation Performance of Rigid
Polyurethane Foams”.
Congrats Kabirat!
Today, a member of Prof. Ning Yan’s Lab, Erika Fu, successfully passed her qualifying exam signifying she is able to continue with her PhD studies. In the next few years she will continue her work on the development of next-generation electronic devices with renewable materials.
Congrats Erika!!
Yan Lab 