National Research Council of Canada opens new advanced materials research facility in Mississauga

Facility to serve as national clean energy hub supporting research into new materials for industrial development and commercialization

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - At a virtual ceremony today, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) opened a new advanced materials research facility to serve as a national clean energy hub, supporting and undertaking foundational research of new materials for clean energy and other applications and transitioning them to industrial use. The facility will bring companies, government, and universities together to collaborate on breakthrough projects in clean technologies and advanced materials.

The facility will be part of the Canadian Campus for Advanced Materials Manufacturing (CCAMM), a joint initiative between the NRC and the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC). This initiative will establish a suite of accessible platform technologies for substantially accelerating the rate of discovery of new materials for a range of applications, including clean energy and additive manufacturing.

As part of the ceremony, the NRC announced the Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program will be housed at the research facility. This 7-year, $57 million collaborative research program focusses on the development of new materials to be used in the production of clean and sustainable energy.

Quick facts

    --  The NRC Mississauga research facility will focus on technologies for
        accelerating discovery and innovation in new materials, most prominently
        AI-driven robotics experimental platforms termed "Material Acceleration
        Platforms" or self-driven labs. The initial focal areas of application
        will include materials enabling the conversion of carbon dioxide to
        fuels and other high-value industrial products, multi-functional powders
        and nanomaterials; and advanced metamaterials and devices for consumer,
        automotive, aerospace and biomedical applications.
    --  The facility will house the operations and core R&D activities of the
        NRC's Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program, which is
        collaborating with leaders in academia and industry to catalyze the
        discovery and development of materials for early-stage exploratory
        technologies to decarbonize Canada's oil and gas and petrochemical
        sectors.
    --  The NRC's new advanced materials research facility will also house a
        number of university collaborations, including:
        --  the NRC-University of Toronto Collaboration Centre for Green Energy
            Materials, which will lead to discoveries and advances that will
            result in publications, patents, and the commercialization of
            technology, as well as provide training opportunities for graduate
            students and postdoctoral fellows.
        --  equipment and students from the University of Waterloo in support of
            a collaboration in materials and processes for additive
            manufacturing.
    --  When research operations begin in mid-2021, the facility initially will
        host a team of about 15 researchers and support staff, with space for
        about 20 additional guest and visiting workers at any one time. The
        fully completed facility will house roughly 100 researchers and support
        staff from the NRC, and a broad range of collaborators and partners from
        academia, other government departments and industry, from Canada and
        around the world.
    --  The advanced materials research facility consists of 21,500 square feet
        of laboratories, office space and meeting rooms on its first floor with
        a shelled-in second floor, ready to be outfitted. The 2-floor building
        will be expanded as part of Phase 2. A third floor will be added to
        accommodate collaborative work with other government departments and is
        anticipated to be completed in mid-2022.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovative partnerships that will cement Canada as a world innovation leader. This facility will enable the kinds of collaborations and research that will help accelerate advancements and commercialization in the areas of clean energy and smart materials, ensuring continued long-term Canadian strength in this globally disruptive technology area."
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry

"The opening of our new facility in Mississauga represents a major stepping stone for the National Research Council of Canada in advancing Canada's clean energy agenda. Our vision is for this collaborative hub to become the home to new technologies that will enable industry to be more sustainable. We look forward to working with our partners in accelerating the development of advanced materials technologies and their commercialization into disruptive products for industry."
Roger Scott-Douglas PhD,
Acting President, National Research Council of Canada

"We are thrilled that the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) chose Mississauga to locate its new regional advanced materials research facility, and this shows the strength and diversity of our city's advanced manufacturing sector. NRC Mississauga will become a key innovation asset in our city that will bring together regional and national industrial partners to develop products, devices and systems that will create jobs and help grow Canada's economy. The city looks forward to working with and supporting the NRC and its key stakeholders as they conduct world-class and innovative research right here in Mississauga."
Bonnie Crombie,
Mayor of Mississauga

"Together with the National Research Council of Canada, Xerox is proud to be a co-founder of the Canadian Campus for Advanced Materials Manufacturing, a high-tech campus designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced materials technologies for clean tech and advanced manufacturing. Combining the world-class expertise, facilities and resources of 2 research and innovation powerhouses--a Xerox global research centre and the NRC--CCAMM, will accelerate commercialization of research outcomes in Canada and globally."
Paul Smith,
Vice President, Xerox Research

"The University of Toronto looks forward to collaborating with the NRC to accelerate the work of U of T's researchers and training students to achieve new discoveries and apply them to further reduce the environmental impact of the electricity that powers the businesses, homes and vehicles of Canadians and people around the world."
Derek Newton,
Assistant Vice-President, Innovation, Partnerships and Entrepreneurship, University of Toronto

Related products
NRC Mississauga Infosheet
NRC Mississauga facility webpage
Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program webpage

Associated links
Collaboration Centre for Green Energy Materials between the NRC and University of Toronto

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SOURCE National Research Council Canada