Grant to study butyl rubber surfaces

ERJ staff report (DS)

London, Ontario -- Researchers from the University of Western Ontario have won a Can$1.7 million grant to study applications for butyl rubber, especially in the food contact area and electronics..

London West MPP Chris Bentley, announced the award from the Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence program, which helps cover the operating costs of conducting advanced research. Lanxess operates the world's largest R&D facility for butyl rubber in the region, and is the industrial sponsor of the project.

The grant proposal says, "The proposed project ... to develop new high-value-added butyl rubber products beyond the mature one of inner liners of tubeless tires. More specifically,the team will adopt the green technology approach in reducing energy and chemical consumption for (a) surface- and nano-engineering of superoleophobicity (oil-repelling) on butyl rubber; (b) surface- and nano-engineering of tailormade molecule-permeability and high mechanical strength in novel butyl-rubber-matrix nanocomposite membranes with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the nano-phase; and (c) surface- and nano-engineering of butyl rubber for affinity/repellency of biological/ biochemical moieties."

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Press release from Universtity of Western Ontario

Western researchers stretch to unlock secrets of surfaces London Free Press (Canada - Ontario)

Full list of funding projects from Ontario Research Fund (search on "Leo Lau"