Mark MacLachlan
Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies
Chemistry
Faculty of Science
Taking inspiration from nature, he assembles new materials with hierarchical structures on the nanoscale. Much of his research is aimed at developing new materials using biopolymers – cellulose and chitin – as a template. Using cellulose nanocrystals, for example, his team has constructed glasses and plastics that mimic the structure and iridescence of beetle shells. Furthermore, they have developed new cellulosic materials that can be used for pressure sensing and as hosts for nanomaterials.