{"553791":{"#nid":"553791","#data":{"type":"news","title":"RBI Year in Review - Our top stories of 2015-16","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAs another academic year came to a close in June, the Renewable Bioproducts Institute compiled a list of highlights to be included in President Bud Peterson\u2019s annual Institute Address. RBI-affiliated faculty made tremendous strides and demonstrated innovative thinking in their individual areas of research, including energy, electronics, carbon fibers, nanocellulose and nanocrystals, among others.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the highlights of the year are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERBI produced \u003Cstrong\u003Ea short film, \u0022Reimaging Bioproducts Industries,\u0022\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;spotlighting its three strategic thrusts \u2013 Pulp \u0026amp; Paper Operational Excellence, Biocomposites \u0026amp; Nanomaterials and Biochemicals \u0026amp; Biofuels. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rbi.gatech.edu\/renewable-bioproducts-institute-reimagining-bioproducts-industries\u0022\u003EWatch the video\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a comment article published April 26 in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, two researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology suggest \u003Cstrong\u003Eseven energy-intensive separation processes\u003C\/strong\u003E they believe should be the top targets for research into low-energy purification technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/seven-chemical-separations-change-world\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/seven-chemical-separations-change-world\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics (COPE) and Renewable Bioproducts Institute are \u003Cstrong\u003Edeveloping\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003Epaper-based electronics\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2014 organic solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) \u2014 fabricated on cellulose-based substrates that can be recycled easily.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/rbi-cope-developing-paper-based-electronics\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/rbi-cope-developing-paper-based-electronics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute set another record this year at its \u003Cstrong\u003Eannual executive conference, April 5-6\u003C\/strong\u003E, with registration hitting more than 150, including Tech students and faculty, researchers from a variety of other academic institutions, national laboratory representatives, government agencies, associations and private enterprise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/renewable-bioproducts-institute-annual-conference-sets-attendance-record-highlights-technology\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/renewable-bioproducts-institute-annual-conference-sets-attendance-record-highlights-technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute of Paper Chemistry Foundation Inc. and the Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. have announced a \u003Cstrong\u003E$1 million grant\u003C\/strong\u003E to establish the Institute of Paper Chemistry Legacy Endowment Fund. The fund is being established in recognition of the Institute of Paper Chemistry\u2019s (IPC) educational and leadership legacy and will be maintained as an endowment fund for support of Georgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI). It will be directed to student and faculty initiatives and programs that enhance the mission of RBI as well as advance forest-related industries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/renewable-bioproducts-institute-receives-1-million-grant\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/renewable-bioproducts-institute-receives-1-million-grant\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Professional Education has partnered with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/?utm_source=press_release\u0026amp;utm_medium=press_release\u0026amp;utm_campaign=pmml_pr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/?utm_source=press_release\u0026amp;utm_medium=press_release\u0026amp;utm_campaign=pmml_pr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E to offer a \u003Cstrong\u003Eprofessional master\u2019s degree in manufacturing leadership (PMML), the first of its kind in Georgia.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-launches-states-first-professional-masters-degree-manufacturing-leadership\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-launches-states-first-professional-masters-degree-manufacturing-leadership\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/deng.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYulin Deng\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and his team at Georgia Tech have developed a \u003Cstrong\u003Elow-temperature electrolytic technology\u003C\/strong\u003E that can harvest hydrogen fuel from nearly all types of biomass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/harvesting-hydrogen-tough-biomass\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/news\/harvesting-hydrogen-tough-biomass\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA research team at the Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a novel technique that sets \u003Cstrong\u003Ea new milestone for the strength and modulus of carbon fibers\u003C\/strong\u003E. This alternative approach is based on an innovative technique for spinning polyacrylonitrile (PAN), an organic polymer resin used to make carbon fibers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2015\/07\/22\/innovative-method-improves-strength-and-modulus-carbon-fibers\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2015\/07\/22\/innovative-method-improves-strength-and-modulus-carbon-fibers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of RBI affiliated faculty \u2013 including Satish Kumar, has \u003Cstrong\u003Ediscovered a co-solvent based approach to achieve cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) dispersion\u003C\/strong\u003Es in liquid media and in polymers. The importance of this discovery is that this method can be used to easily and relatively economically process CNCs in the un-aggregated state. This method can also be used\u0026nbsp;to make CNC based nano composites with good properties (see item #2). \u0026nbsp;View \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rbi.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/CNC%20disperstion%20ACS_AMI.pdf\u0022\u003E\u201cIndividually Dispersed Wood-Based Cellulose Nanocrystals\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E as well as the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rbi.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/CNC%20disperstion%20SI.pdf\u0022\u003ESupporting Information\u003C\/a\u003E. Using the dispersion method, Kumar and others have processed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers containing up to 40 wt% CNC with good properties.\u0026nbsp; This is the first study of such a high concentration of nano reinforcement in PAN (or any other polymer) processed into good property fibers. For example, carbon nanotube(CNT) containing PAN fibers have been processed only with up to 20 wt%, and these PAN\/CNT fibers show significant reduction in strain to failure as compared to PAN fibers. i.e, at such high CNT loading, they become very brittle. On the other hand, PAN\/CNC (even at 40% CNC) show no decrease in strain to failure, as compared to PAN. These results should prove important in reinforcing broader class of polymers with CNCs, without making them brittle (a common draw back with other reinforcements). This result is currently being prepared for submission for publication. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA group of researchers \u2013 including RBI\u2019s Jerry Qi \u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003Epublished a paper in \u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Functional Materials\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E. By using vitrimer, the team was able to recycle carbon fiber reinforced composites by almost 100%.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rbi.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/Yu_BER_AFM.pdf\u0022\u003ERead the publication here\u003C\/a\u003E. The team included Qi, Kai Yu, Qian Shi, Martin L. Dunn and Tiejun Wang. Read \u201cCarbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composite with Near 100% Recyclability.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA \u003Cstrong\u003Egreat deal of research was published in the area of cellulose\u003C\/strong\u003E during the previous year by several members of the RBI-affiliated faculty. The highlight of their studies: \u201cThe addition of CNC in GF\/epoxy composites either as a coating of the glass fibers or as additive to the epoxy resin can result in enhancement of the mechanical properties. As a result, a small amount of CNC i.e., about 0.2 wt% can replace 10wt% of GF in the composite without compromise of the mechanical properties leading to lightweight composites.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJournal Papers:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAsadi, M. Miller, S. Sultana, RJ Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Introducing cellulose nanocrystals in sheet molding compound. \u003Cem\u003EComposites: Part A\u003C\/em\u003E, Vol. 88: 206-215, 2016.\u202a\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA. Asadi, M. Miller, RJ Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Improving the interfacial and mechanical properties of short glass fiber\/epoxy composites by coating the glass fibers with cellulose nanocrystals. \u003Cem\u003EExpress Polymer Letters\u003C\/em\u003E, Vol. 10(7): 587\u2013597, 2016.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA. Asadi, M. Miller, AV. Singh, RJ Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Lightweight sheet molding compound (SMC) composites containing cellulose nanocrystals. \u003Cem\u003EComposites Structures\u003C\/em\u003E, under review, 2016.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConference Papers:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA. Asadi, M. Miller, S. Sultana, RJ Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Introducing cellulose nanocrystals in sheet molding compounds (SMC). In: ECCM 2016, Munich, Germany, June 26-30, 2016.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EM. Miller, A. Asadi, S. Sultana, RJ. Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Sheet molding compounds containing cellulose nanocrystals coated glass fibers. In: ECCM 2016, Munich, Germany, June 26-30, 2016.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EKyriaki Kalaitzidou. Cellulose Nanocrystals: An Approach towards lightweight composites for automotive applications. International Conference on Nanotechnology for Renewable Materials, Grenoble France June 13-16, 2016\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA. Asadi, M. Miller, RJ. Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Cellulose nanocrystals as reinforcement in glass fiber\/epoxy sheet molding compound composites. In: ANTEC 2016, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 23-25, 2016.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA. Asadi, M. Miller, RJ. Moon, K. Kalaitzidou. Thermo-mechanical, rheological, and interfacial properties of hybrid cellulose nanocrystals-short glass fiber\/ epoxy matrix composites. In: IMECE 2015, Houston, USA, November 13-16, 2015.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo RBI affiliated faculty - Carson Meredith and Sven Behrens, both associate professors, ChBE, published an article in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/\u0022\u003ESmall\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, based on RBI funding, that shows \u003Cstrong\u003Ehow cellulose-derived particles can be used to reconfigure the wetting of interfaces in colloidal multiphase systems.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;This is the first time that particles of any type have shown the ability to emulate the action of surfactants by\u0026nbsp;actively altering the wetting of a liquid over a gas phase, and is widely applicable in chemical processing and materials fabrication. Yi Zhang and Abiola Shitta were also co-publishers. Read \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rbi.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/Zhang-Meredith.pdf\u0022\u003E\u201cBubble Meets Droplet: Particle-Assisted Reconfiguration of Wetting Morphologies in Colloidal Multiphase Systems.\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"RBI Year in Review - Our top stories of 2015-16"}],"uid":"28159","created_gmt":"2016-07-18 14:33:26","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:08","author":"Kelly Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"553781":{"id":"553781","type":"image","title":"COPE - paper-based electronics","body":null,"created":"1468866615","gmt_created":"2016-07-18 18:30:15","changed":"1475895350","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:50","alt":"COPE - paper-based electronics","file":{"fid":"206540","name":"cope_two_students_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cope_two_students_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cope_two_students_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":527343,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cope_two_students_0.jpg?itok=0jdVkj5P"}}},"media_ids":["553781"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKelly B. Smith \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kelly.smith@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekelly.smith@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kelly.smith@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}