RESEARCH
Areas of Interest
The key research areas at SGPL stem from Dr. Reza Nofar's goal of developing novel biopolymeric systems, sustainable light weight multifunctional structures, and new manufacturing technologies in the field of polymer science and engineering.
In this context, Dr. Nofar has achieved outstanding progresses in the area of advanced biopolymeric systems and their compounds. These materials have been tackled mainly for commodity and engineering applications with energy saving and green environment aspects as well as for biomedical applications. Dr. Nofar has also obtained significant achievements in the field of sustainable lightweight multifunctional nanocomposites that have applications in electrical devices, energy conversion/storage, and electromagnetic pollution control.
Microcellular Polymer Foams:
Dr. Nofar has obtained outstanding contributions in identifying the relationship between microcellular foam processing (i.e., foam extrusion, foam injection molding, and bead foaming) of various thermoplastics including polylactide (PLA) and its nanocomposites and blends as well as on PLA’s crystallization kinetics in the presence of dissolved gas/supercritical fluids.
His findings are compiled in his first authored book, entitled “Polylactide Foams: Fundamentals, Manufacturing, and Applications” that is published by Elsevier in 2017. The translation of his book is also published in Chinese. Dr. Nofar has also filed a patent on the development of an innovative technology to manufacture expanded PLA bead foams. His review article entitled “Poly (lactic acid) foaming” is also published in the Journal of Progress in Polymer Science.
Dr. Nofar’s new research area is to introduce foam three-dimensional (3D) printing technology as a sustainable novel route to produced microcellular thermoplastics besides the conventional foam manufacturing technologies that are foam extrusion, foam injection molding, and bead foaming.
Multiphase Polymer Blends:
Dr. Nofar has systematically investigated the development of various thermoplastic based blends including that of PLA and its nanocomposites with the incorporation of nanoclay, cellulose nanocrystals, nanosilica, and carbon nanotubes. He has focused on identifying the rheological and morphological relationship in PLA based blends and blend nanocomposites with the controlled selective localization of nanoparticles.
In this context, Dr. Nofar has published his second authored book entitled “Multiphase Polylactide Blends: Towards Sustainable and Green Environment” by Elsevier in 2021. His review article entitled “Poly (lactic acid) blends: Processing, properties and applications”, which covers over 700 references, has also published by Int. J. of Biological Macromolecules.
Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites:
Dr. Nofar has also contributed on development of light-weight and cost-effective micro/nanocellular multifunctional conductive nanocomposites with tailored functional properties via controlling the distribution and orientation of conductive nanoparticles through various foam morphologies.
In the field of Polymer Rheology, Polymer Nanocomposites, and Sustainable Polymeric Systems, besides his scientific findings which have been published in high impact factor journals, Dr. Nofar has also published important review articles entitled: “Rheology of poly (lactic acid)-based systems”, “Polylactide cellulose-based nanocomposites”, “Influence of nanoparticles and their selective localization on the structure and properties of polylactide-based blend nanocomposites”, and “A Review on Multifunctional Epoxy-Based Joncryl ® ADR Chain Extended Thermoplastics”.
Recycling of Thermoplastics:
Dr. Nofar has conducted research on recycling of thermoplastics including recycled polyethylene terephthalate to recover their properties with blending and chemical modification.
Bioplastics and Biocomposites
Polymer Processing and Rheology