Summary

Vast quantities of irons ores with highly variable compositional characteristics and best quality graphite occur in Sri Lanka. However, iron ores are being mined only for few local industries and most of graphite are being exported without any value addition. Even though, country is gifted with number of mineral
deposits, Sri Lankan mineral industry is still in the primitive stage. Production of demanding novel materials such as conductive toner powder will increase the demand for these local industries and uplift the Sri Lankan mineral industry while cutting down the import of such products. Further, such product development will enhance income of local people and will generate the new employment opportunities for local people. When the proposed project is executed, it is expected to train one postgraduate student which enhances the human resource in the field of science and
technology. Also, some undergraduates may expose to the field and possible laboratory scale research training which also widen the skilled human resources in science and technology. Similarly, when the project is executed, three young researchers representing Sri Lankan universities and research institutes will expose to the modern technologies and experimental procedures related to the proposed cutting edge research and consequently their research capacities will be enhanced which indirectly relate with the national development as well.

Objectives

1. To study the mineralogical and chemical composition of Sri Lankan iron ores for identifying the best composition for the magnetite nano- articles (MNPs) production.
2. To develop and optimize an economical and industrially feasible method to synthesize MNPs using Sri Lankan iron ore deposits.
3. To synthesis the carbon black with ideal composition for toner powder from coconut shell waste
4. To develop and optimized a novel and industrially feasible method to synthesis graphene from Sri Lankan graphite.
5. To develop a sustainable method to synthesize conductive toner powders using graphene, MNPs and coconut shell based carbon black.
6. To acquire a clear understanding about the behavior of novel MNP and graphene based conductive magnetic toner powders in printing process and to optimize the process parameter to maximize the yield.
7. To commercialize end-product with a suitable entity to start a new industry manufacturing toner powder in Sri Lanka to reduce imports

Major Equipment Facilitated by Grant