Browsing Engineering (Faculty of) by Supervisor "Mekonnen, Tizazu"
Now showing items 1-15 of 15
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Cellulose Nanocrystal Hybrids as Reinforcing and Antibacterial Agents in Rubber Nanocomposites
(University of Waterloo, 2020-08-31)As environmental consciousness increases and fossil fuel feedstocks are depleted, ecofriendly product development is of utmost importance. This thesis describes an in-depth analysis of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) used as ... -
Chemical Tailoring of Lignin for Functional and Sustainable Material Solutions
(University of Waterloo, 2023-09-01)Lignin, being the second most abundant natural biopolymer after cellulose, constitutes between 18 wt.% and 35 wt.% of wood. Due to its abundance, sustainability, renewability, and the amenability to undergo numerous ... -
Engineered polysaccharide, Alpha-1,3 Glucan, as a Functional Filler of Rubber Composites
(University of Waterloo, 2023-07-21)Rubber products represent an essential and highly functional class of performance materials required in many daily applications. However, the increasing interest in enhancing the overall material sustainability of rubber ... -
Enhanced Barrier Properties of Renewable Multiphase Polymer Coatings and Films
(University of Waterloo, 2022-01-21)The use of traditional synthetic polymer in the food industries imposes great sustainability issues in conjuncture with plastic waste accumulation and consumers’ health concerns. This drives innovation in bioplastics with ... -
Green Thermo-Mechano-Chemical Processing for the Recovery of Lignocellulosic Biomass Components
(University of Waterloo, 2022-04-20)The components of lignocellulosic biomasses are attractive material alternatives for petroleum-derived products as they are renewable bioresources. However, their applicability is currently stunted by their acid-heavy ... -
Highly Crosslinked Natural Rubber-Cellulose Nanocrystals Composites for Sustainable Material Applications
(University of Waterloo, 2024-04-24)In a bid to develop environmentally friendly rubber materials, the use of renewable and sustainable additives and reinforcing fillers that could provide suitable mechanical property enhancement is of great interest. In ... -
Highly Filled, Durable, and Sustainable Wood-Plastic Composites from Recycled Thermoplastics
(University of Waterloo, 2022-09-26)The increasing concern for environmental sustainability and the accumulation of solid waste (e.g. single-use plastics) has led to an increased interest in the utilization of renewable feedstocks and recycling of plastics ... -
Hydrophobic Modifications of Cellulose Nanocrystals for Anticorrosion and Polymer Coating Applications
(University of Waterloo, 2020-04-20)Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is a robust, renewable and green nanorods, which has a potential as an excellent reinforcing and multi-functional filler for polymers used in coating and other applications. CNC contains ... -
Improving leach bed reactor design for medium-chain fatty acid production from food waste at room-temperature.
(University of Waterloo, 2023-02-10)Food waste treatment is an urgent problem which if addressed can make substantial reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions while recovering energy, nutrients, and valuable biomolecules. While anaerobic digestion has ... -
Investigation of Thermo-mechanical Degradation of Polypropylene-Low Density Polyethylene Blends Exposed to Simulated Recycling
(University of Waterloo, 2020-08-26)Polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are among the most extensively used resins used mainly in the packaging and automotive sectors and are the largest contributor to municipal waste. Plastic waste ... -
Lignin derived nano-biocarbon: its deposition on polyurethane foam for wastewater dye adsorption and as a filler for composite applications
(University of Waterloo, 2021-05-31)The use of natural biopolymers has seen a resurgence, due to their performance in natural organisms and biodegradable properties from an environmental perspective. As countries around the world continue to implement green ... -
Starch modification for sustainable and functional material applications
(University of Waterloo, 2019-02-07)Among biodegradable polymers, starch has attracted significant interest and is currently used in numerous industrial applications. This is because of its renewability, biodegradability, abundance, and cohesive film-forming ... -
Understanding the fundamentals and application of electrically conductive biofilm in dry digestion
(University of Waterloo, 2023-07-27)The application of microbial electrolysis cell assisted anaerobic digestion (MEC-AD) system for dry digestion to recover methane from food waste (FW) is promising. Understanding the extracellular electron transfer (EET) ... -
Upcycling Plastic Waste to Activated Carbon for Waste Water Treatment Applications
(University of Waterloo, 2024-04-09)Plastic waste disposal continues to be a widespread issue, as plastic products are discarded at high rates and do not biodegrade in the environment. Although a portion of this waste is recycled, the limitations of conventional ... -
Utilization of Biorenewable Polymers for Functional Applications
(University of Waterloo, 2020-04-30)The need to transition to more sustainable and renewable technology has resulted in a focus on the two bio-renewable polymers, cellulose and lignin. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and lignin can be the materials of the ...