Projects

NATIONAL RESEARCH FUND-TETFUND PROJECT 2020 and 2021

Biowastes are a source of environmental hazard and efforts to valorize these biowastes into useful biomaterials is a good approach to mitigating these problems. Human bone, as a complex composite biomaterial gains its ability to resist fractures through its bone quality and these features deteriorate with advanced age or osteoporosis and fragility fractures. One of the treatment protocols for osteoporosis is the development of mechanically stable and porous osteoconductive hydroxyapatite scaffolds which allows bone cells to grow and promote bone regeneration.
Research Problems Addressed
However, a fundamental problem of hydroxyapatite is its low fracture toughness (KIc) and porosity (when prepared at elevated temperatures). Essentially, the lower the fracture toughness and porosity, the lower is the clinical application of the hydroxyapatite because these parameters define the critical stress level and proliferation of bone cells respectively. Therefore, hydroxyapatite scaffolds need to undergo mechanical competence and porosity tests in addition to biological evaluations before it is cleared for biomedical applications.
Project Coordinator
Dr. David O. Obada, Ahmadu Bello University

INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL ENGINEERING STUDENT TEAMS (InVEST) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, CANADA

Palm oil is a major export of many tropical countries, and Nigeria is no exception. The palm fruit is harvested, and the oil is extracted. The waste biomass is the “empty fruit bunch (EFB)”. Much of this biomass is allowed to rot, as it has little economic value.
Impact
This project raises the question of how one creates a more sustainable approach to managing this waste and extracting value from it. The EFB would be collected and used as fuel in biomass to energy plants. The products would be electricity and thermal heat (possibly as steam, possibly as hot oil), as well as inorganic ash. The ash contains calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and potassium, from which low-cost alkali solutions could be produced, along with mineral fertilizers.
Research Problems Addressed
The technologies for this project are well known, and are “off-the-shelf”. The key unknown is the appropriate scale and location. How does one identify the logical freight radius for getting EFB to the plant, and where would the plant be sited, so that both the electricity and the thermal heat can be used? The key output is an evaluation of the options available for converting EFB to products, such that there is a workable business model for a local circular economy in Nigeria.
Supervisors

Prof. Graeme Norval, University of Toronto
Dr. Nikolai DeMartini
Dr. David O. Obada, Ahmadu Bello University

FABRICATION OF 3-D PRINTERS AND FILAMENT MATERIAL FROM ELECTRONIC AND AGRICULTURAL WASTES

E-wastes refers to the generic name for electronic wastes and includes discarded electronic devices or electrical items that have reached their utilization peak and are most often disposed off by the consumers. Sources of these e-wastes include electrical systems like computers, telephones, photocopiers, fax machines, etc. These wastes which contain hazardous elements such as lead, cadmium, etc. are disposed off in landfills leading to direct reaction of the e-waste with the environment. This has shown to be quite detrimental to the well-being of humans. In a related vein, chemicals like polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) are generated from these e-wastes, and this creates health risks to the larger population.
Research Problems Addressed
Electronic wastes contain a lot of harmful substances which can be in form of heavy metals or chemicals. To put into context, the most dangerous component of electronic waste are the components which contain mercury, batteries, and the plastics which contain brominated flame retardants. When there are leakages and evaporation of these substances caused by accidental factors at the electronic wastes dump sites, there is consequent contamination of the environment and natural resources including water, livestock, soil, etc. with very detrimental effects.
The absence of simple, scalable, and environmentally friendly recycling processes has negatively lowered the rate of recycling of global plastics waste as only 9% of the plastics are recycled. This has made the rate of non-biodegradable plastic production and landfilling increase with consequential detrimental effects.
Project Coordinator - Nigeria
Dr. David O. Obada, Ahmadu Bello University