Polymer and Natural Materials and Manufacturing (PNMM) Cluster

The polymer and natural materials and manufacturing (PNMM) cluster primarily conducts research in the following areas: polymer processing, nanomechanics and nanochemistry, organometallic polymer catalysts, atomistic modeling of material properties, nanocrystalline cellulose and controlled radical polymerization, biocomposites and recycling.

Studying radical systems through computational chemistry techniques (courtesy of Dr. Gino DiLabio).

Biodeterioration study of a natural fiber mat
(courtesy of Dr. John Klironomos).

Cluster Leads


Dr. Frank K. Ko
Professor
Department of Materials Engineering
Vancouver Campus


Dr. Gino DiLabio
Professor and Head, Department of Chemistry
Professor, Faculty of Management
Okanagan Campus

Cluster News

UBCO teams with industry to develop next-generation battery

August 21, 2019

Fenix Advanced Materials spearheads high-tech research collaboration.

Colour from colourless droplets

March 4, 2019

A News and Views piece in Nature by Dr. Kenneth Chau, School of Engineering, describing an exciting breakthrough in colouration.

UBC Okanagan researchers shine a light on 150-year old mystery

August 24, 2018

The exact nature of how light interacts with matter has remained a mystery for close to 150 years. New research from UBC’s Okanagan campus may have uncovered the keys to one of the darkest secrets of light.

Bacteria-powered solar cell converts light to energy, even under overcast skies

July 5, 2018

UBC researchers have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy.

Self-Cleaning Camera Developed at UBC Proves its Worth At Canfor Sawmill

March 27, 2018

A self-cleaning camera created by ExcelSense Technologies, a UBC-based venture, has cut maintenance downtime at one of the log lines in a British Columbia sawmill by almost 60 per cent.

UBC researchers invent new method to create self-tinting windows

March 8, 2018

UBC chemistry researchers have developed a simple, cost-effective technique for making smart windows that could lead the way for wide-scale adoption of this energy-saving technology.