At the UGA New Materials Institute, we believe that a material’s useful end-of-life should be considered at the design stage and that Green Engineering principles should be part of this process.
These researchers from the UGA New Materials Institute painted a flammable cabinet with their research project—a paint formulation with oil from Georgia-grown peanuts. The paint, and its primer, can be formulated in any color, for interior or exterior applications. Thank you to the Georgia Peanut Commission for funding this work to identify new products that help support the growth of Georgia’s peanut industry!
The UGA New Materials Institute has become a member of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, a non-profit organization focused on globally reducing and eliminating fishing gear that is lost, abandoned or discarded in our oceans. Our goal is to work with the GGGI leadership and members to test gear made from our marine-degradable polymers, primarily those derived from polyhydroxyalkanoates.
A recent manuscript from a team at the UGA New Materials Institute utilized life cycle analysis, or LCA, to examine the sustainability of a novel coaxial layered fiber spinning process they created to recycle wind turbine blades.
UGA Professor XQ Wang, who is a faculty member in the UGA New Materials Institute, was among eight faculty members to complete the UGA Aspire Fellows program this year.
The Georgia Peanut Commission continued funding for a New Materials Institute project to use peanut oil in timber oils and coatings.
How do plastic particles from our clothing, cars, packaging and more get into marine and other environments? What do we know about their potential impact on environmental, animal and human health?
Jay Brandes, a professor of marine sciences based at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and a faculty member at the New Materials Institute, recently discussed micro- and nanoplastics and their impact on people, animals and our planet. Dr. Brandes spoke to a live audience during an Evening at Skidaway.
Watch this video of Dr. Brandes’s talk to learn more about microplastics.
Three UGA New Materials Institute faculty members were recognized at 2025 Research Awards at the University of Georgia.
Dr. Hitesh Handa has been named a Regents\\\’ Entrepreneur by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
A spore-bearing biocomposite thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a promising alternative elastomer that could be used to manufacture popular items such as footwear, phone cases and automotive parts, according to a new study from a team that includes researchers from the UGA New Materials Institute.
Four of eight University of Georgia researchers selected for induction into the National Academy of Inventors are faculty members affiliated with the UGA New Materials Institute, including its director. Jason Locklin, Sergiy Minko, Suraj Sharma and Keenan Song, all faculty affiliated with the UGA NMI, will be inducted as NAI Senior Members in June, bringing UGA\’s total number of Senior Members to 24.