Premier's Research Chair in Biomaterials & Transportation

Bioeconomy related to biobased materials, biofuels and biorefinery

Dr. Mohanty has a joint appointment in the School of Engineering, Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph

Research Interests:

Biomaterials

• Natural Fiber Composites and All Green Composites
• Nanostructure Controlled Bioplastics and Hyperbranched Polymers
• Nanocomposites (Polymer-clay and Polymer-Carbon Nanotubes) and Nanoblends
• Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes and Clays
• Renewable Resourse-based Biodegradable polymers (Polylactides, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Cellulose esters and Starch plastics)
• Petroleum-based Biodegradable Polymers (Aliphatic Polyesters and Aliphatic-aromatic Copolyesters)
• Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (SoronaT) based Composites, Blends and Nanocomposites
• Reactive extrusion, Injection Molding, Thermoforming and Co-Injection Molding
• Soy-based Bioplastics (Soy oil-based Thermoset Resins and Soy Protein-based Thermoplastic)
• Polyols from Plant Oils and Biobased Polyurethanes
• Biobased Polyesters/Epoxies and their biomaterials
• Biodegradable Polymers and Sustainable Packaging

Biofuels, Biorefinery and Sustainability

• Value-added Applications of Downstream Co-products from Dry-milling Corn Ethanol Industries e.g. Distillers' Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) and Carbon Dioxide as Biocomposites, Bioadhesives and Biochemicals
• Value-added Applications of Corn Gluten Meal (Co-product from Wet-milling Corn ethanol Industries) as Biodegradable Plastics and Biocomposites
• Value-added Applications of Coproducts from Soy Biodiesel Industries e.g. Soy meal and Glycerol as Biodegradable Plastic, Biocomposites and Biochemicals
• New Uses of Lignin and Residual Biomass from Cellulosic Ethanol in Value-added Applications
• Pretreatment of Biomasses for Biofuels
• Sustainability Issues of Biofuel Industries and Biorefinery

For further information please visit:
http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/research/homepages/amohanty/

Selected Publications:

Bhardwaj, R. and A.K. Mohanty. (2007). Modification of Brittle Polylactide (PLA) by Novel Hyperbranched Polymer based Nanostructures. Biomacromolecules. 8(8):2476-2484.

Wu, Q. and A.K. Mohanty. (2007). Renewable Resource based Biocomposites from Coproduct of Dry Milling Corn Ethanol Industry and Castor Oil based Biopolyurethanes. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy. 1(2):257.

Singh, S. and A.K. Mohanty. (2007). Wood fiber reinforced bacterial bioplastic composites: Fabrication and Performance Evaluation. Composites Science and Technology. 67(9):1753-1763.

Parulekar, Y. and A. K. Mohanty. (2007). Extruded Biodegradable Cast Films from Polyhydroxyalkanoate and Thermoplastic Starch Blends: Fabrication and Characterization. Macomolecular Materials & Engineering. 292(12):1218.

Wu, Q., S. Selke and A.K. Mohanty. (2007). Processing and Properties of Biobased Blends from Soy Meal and Natural Rubber. Macomolecular Materials & Engineering. 292:1149.

Parulekar, Y., A.K. Mohanty and Syed H. Imam. (2007). Biodegradable Nanocomposites from Toughened Polyhydroxybutyrate and Titanate-modified Montmorillonite Clay. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. 7:3580.

Drown, E.K., A.K. Mohanty, Y. Parulekar, D. Hasija, B. R. Harte, M. Misra, J. V. Kurian. (2007). The Surface Characteristics of Organoclays and Their Effect on the Properties of Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) Nanocomposites. Composites Science and Technology. 67:3168.

Bhardwaj, R. and A.K. Mohanty. (2007). Advances in the Properties of Polylactide based Materials: A Review. Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy. 1(2):191.

Aithani, D. and A.K. Mohanty. (2006). Value-Added New Materials from Byproduct of Corn Based Ethanol Industries:  Blends of Plasticized Corn Gluten Meal and Poly (є-Caprolactone). Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 45(18):6147-6152.

Bhardwaj, R., A.K. Mohanty, L.T. Drzal, F. Pourboghrat and M. Misra. (2006). Renewable Resource based Green Composites from Recycled Cellulose Fiber and Poly (3-hydroxybutyarte-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Bioplastic. Biomacromolecules. 7(6):2044-2051.

Whaling, A., R. Bhardwaj, A.K. Mohanty. (2006). Novel Talc-Filled Biodegradable Bacterial Polyester Composites. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 45(22):7497.