SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Division of Manufacturing and Design of Wood and Bionanocomposites, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), Skellefteå Campus

Address: Avdelningen för Trä- och bionanokompositer, LTU Skellefteå, Forskargatan 1, SE- 931 87 Skellefteå
Web page: http://www.ltu.se/ske/madewood

Contact person: Research Assistant Aji P. Mathew , phone: +46 (0)910 585336. Personal web page.

Dr. Mathew received her PhD in polymers in 2001 from School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. After that she was employed as post doctoral fellow at CERMAV-CNRS in Grenoble, France during 2001-2002 and at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) during 2003-2005. During the period 2006-07 she was involved with Plastics industry, working as Sr. Project Engineer with Underwriters Laboratory ( UL India ) at Bangalore, India. Her research interests focus on Polymer nanocomposites, Nanostructured polymer systems, Barrier properties of polymeric composites and blends, and Rubber based nanocomposites.

In November 2008 Dr. Mathew was given SEK 600 000 as a three-year grant for an India related project titled ”Novel bionanocomposite membranes with improved barrier properties using wood based nanocrystals/fibrils in natural rubber” to be carried out during the period 2009–11 from the Swedish Research Links programme (funded by Sida and the Swedish Research Council). The collaboration partner on the Indian side is Dr. Sabu Thomas at the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. The idea is to let a Phd candidate from Mahatma Gandhi University, Mr. Visakh, do a project under this SIDA project, to be co-supervised by Dr. Mathew and her Indian partner. More information on the Swedish Research Links grants 2008.
Project abstract: This project deals with the development of nanocomposites from two biomaterials, viz. natural rubber obtained from the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, and cellulose microfibrils /nanocrystals isolated from wood. Wood and wood-based biomass plays a significant role in the industry and economy of Sweden where as natural rubber is a readily available natural resource of South India and plays a significant role in the agriculture and economy of this region. More information.