Kevin De France received a Discovery Grant worth $172,500 including an Early Career Researcher stipend of $12,500. His research program focuses on the design of functional materials from cellulose- and protein-based ‘building blocks’ (two of the most abundant raw materials on our planet) for a variety of applications. Using a circular approach, his group will prepare and characterize these bio-based building blocks, which are then used to fabricate materials such as gels, emulsions, and films. Material performance is then analyzed for targeted applications, with results fed-back to design the next generation of building blocks. The implementation of this program will result in the promotion of clean technology for various applications in fields spanning the biomedical, packaging, consumer goods, and environmental sectors across Canada. Inspired by nature, the assembly of cellulose nanocrystals and protein amyloid fibers into structured materials can alleviate our societal reliance on traditional plastics, paving the way for truly advanced materials. You can learn more about his program here.
To learn more about these awards, please see the news release from NSERC, Over half a billion to support fundamental research and help train the next generation of scientists and engineers.