ABSTRACTS

ABSTRACT

Graduate in Chemistry from the University of São Paulo (FFCL, 1964) and Ph.D. in Chemistry (Physical Chemistry, USP, 1970), conducted postdoctoral at the University of Colorado (1972-3) and California (Davis, 1974). It is Full Professor at the State University of Campinas, where he teaches courses in Colloids and Surfaces, Polymers, Applied Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, General Chemistry and Microscopy. He began his research activities with Pawel Krumholz, after working in Biophysical Chemistry, Colloids and Surfaces, publishing his first paper on nanoparticles in 1978. More recent work dealing with problems of polymer surfaces, wettability and adhesion, interactions between colloidal particles and nanoparticles, formation and properties of nanocomposites, properties of non-crystalline solids, especially aluminum phosphates and electrification of insulating mechanisms. Methodological contributions made in separation techniques based membranes and analytical microscopy, electronic and probes. Several of the former employees are now posted in Brazilian universities professors or researchers in industrial companies. Of theses supervised, one was awarded the Carl Marvel (UFRJ) and another received the award Capes (2005). Deposited 18 patents of which 7 were licensed. Two products based on these patents were launched. Keeps several projects with businesses, dealing primarily the creation and development of new advanced materials and manufacturing processes. He served in leadership Unicamp, MCT, CNPq, ABC, SBQ, SBPC and SBMM, advisory and planning in FAPESP, MCT, CNPq and Capes and consulting for several companies. Participated in the design, development and implementation of PADCT, which revolutionized the field of chemistry in Brazil, as coordinator of the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, then as a member of the Special Group on Monitoring. Earned numerous awards: Gold Retort (SIQUIRJ), Fritz Feigl (CRQ-4), Simon Mathias and Innovation (SBQ), Innovation (Abiquim), Eloisa Mano (ABPol) Pelúcio Ferreira (FINEP) and Álvaro Alberto Prize for Science and Technology (CNPq / Wessel), the largest science and technology in Brazil.

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology is anticipated to be the next technological wave that will drive many of the innovations in science and engineering. Self-assembled structures can exist in many different forms, such as spherical micelles, rod-like micelles, bi-layers, vesicles, bi-continuous structure etc.  Most biological systems are basically comprised of many of these organised structures arranged in an intelligent manner, which impart functions and life to the system. This talk will focus on a class of nanomaterials that is considered “soft”, where their microstructure can be tuned and manipulated by controlling the chemical composition and external environment. We will review and discuss several classes of soft nanomaterials, such as block copolymers, functional colloids, supramolecular polymers, dendrimers, polymer blends and nanocomposites, carbon based nanomaterials and biomimetic systems. The applications of these soft nanomaterials in various industrial sectors will be discussed. Some examples on the research in soft nanomaterials at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology will also be presented.

The talk will also examine future trends in soft nanomaterials, where the impact of current materials design using traditional carbon sources, such as crude oil will be evaluated. New opportunities in the use of sustainable and renewable materials in the design of soft nanomaterials will be examined. I will end the talk by exploring the applications of renewable soft nanomaterials in addressing future challenges in three key sectors, namely water, environment and energy.

Biography: Michael Tam obtained his B.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical engineering from Monash University, Australia in 1982 and 1991 respectively. He spent 18 months on a postdoctoral fellowship at the Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University Canada, and subsequently taught at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore for 15 years. In June 2007 he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo as a tenured full professor, and holds the position of University Research Chair in the field of functional colloids and nanomaterials. His research interests are in functional colloids, self-assembly systems, polymer-surfactant interactions, and drug delivery systems. He has published more than 200 journal articles in various fields of polymer science and engineering. His total citation exceeds 5200 with a H-Index of 41.

Dr. Jennifer Flexman

studied electrical engineering at McGill University in Montreal and completed a PhD in bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. She worked in the semiconductor industry and was a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at The National Academies in Washington, DC, before joining the technology transfer office at the University of British Columbia. Currently, Jennifer is responsible for advancing research and development, industrial collaboration and commercialization in the research groups of Ted Sargent and Shana Kelley at the University of Toronto.

ABSTRACT

Nanomaterials for Energy and Medical Diagnostics

Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionize many applications from clean energy to medical diagnostics. By investigating materials at the nanoscale, new technologies emerge with exceptional properties.  For example, ‘paint-on’ solar cells – based on colloidal quantum dots – offer a unique approach to solar energy harvesting that is much lower in cost than conventional solar panels. The size-tunability of quantum dots enables the low-cost integration of multiple junctions to create highly efficient devices without a significant increase in cost.  In another example, nanostructured electrodes can be used for direct detection of biomolecules at low cost and in portable formats with unprecedented sensitivity.  Breaking cost-sensitivity compromise is critical to the widespread adoption of personalized medicine and point-of-care diagnostics, especially in low resource settings.