Chairholders
Profile
V. Nicholas Vukotic
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Windsor
Chair title
NSERC/PROTO Industrial Research Chair in X-ray Diffraction & Crystalline Materials
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Associate Chairholder since 2019
Summary
To spur the development of new commercial products–allowing Canada to retain a competitive advantage in the global market and an increased quality of life for all Canadians–new technologies and materials are required. The Industrial Research Chair in X-ray Diffraction and Crystalline Materials supports a research program focused on:
- the development of new scientific research tools; and
- the creation of new advanced materials.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a characterization technique used to analyze all types of materials, including metals, minerals, organic and inorganic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, polymers, and nanomaterials. Diffraction occurs as X-rays interact with an ordered (crystalline) material, revealing detailed structural information and giving insight into structure-property relationships of the material. The Chair’s research program allows for the development of new XRD-based instrumentation, as well as in-situ characterization and high-throughput screening devices. These new research tools will be used to optimize the production, screening and characterization of new stimuli-responsive porous crystalline materials. Stimuli-responsive porous crystals have shown significant advantages over traditional materials and have potential industrial applications such as nanoporous adsorbents, chemical sensors and biomaterials.
Dr. Vukotic is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. His expertise lies in the development of X-ray diffraction instrumentation and the design, synthesis and characterization of new advanced materials. His academic work has resulted in numerous high-impact publications on porous crystalline materials, and his industrial experience as a Principal Scientist has resulted not only in bringing several new XRD products to market, but also in several patent applications.
This multidisciplinary research program will be undertaken in collaboration with a diverse team of material scientists, chemists, physicists and engineers. This will be accomplished by working closely with the industrial sponsor, PROTO Manufacturing Ltd., which is a technology-driven Canadian company based near Windsor, Ontario. PROTO is a global leader in the manufacturing of X-ray sources, detectors and XRD instrumentation for residual stress, Laue and powder diffraction, and strives to become the world-leading supplier in all aspects of XRD instrumentation.
Dr. Vukotic will join the Advanced Materials Centre of Research (AMCORe) within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. AMCORe consists of a critical mass of researchers with complementary interests in synthetic chemistry, catalysis, materials chemistry, materials characterization and materials applications. The centre allows for an institutional environment that encourages and enhances multidisciplinary, multi-group projects, and strengthens opportunities for new research collaborations with academia, government and industry. This research program will commence within the newly opened Essex Centre of Research (CORe), a $30 Million world-class facility with state-of-the-art infrastructure (46,000 sq. ft.) dedicated to research, innovation and industry collaboration.
This research partnership between PROTO and the University of Windsor will create an environment that fosters the pursuit of knowledge, innovation and the development of new technologies and materials within Canada. This will be facilitated by attracting and training top talent, from Canada and abroad, to work in the field of X-ray diffraction and material science, to achieve the objectives of the Chair’s research program.
Partner
- PROTO Manufacturing Ltd.
Contact information
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Windsor
Email: nvukotic@uwindsor.ca
Website:
http://www.uwindsor.ca/science/chemistry/549/faculty-dr-nick-vukotic
