Leonardo Simon

Leonardo Simon is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering Professor. He is also a member in three research institutes: Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research, and Institute for Polymer Research.

Professor Simon’s research deals with polymer nanocomposites, sustainable materials, thermoplastic composites, polymer materials for advanced manufacturing, and innovation. His research laboratory is equipped for synthesis and processing polymers and nanocomposites and the investigation their structure and properties.

Professor Simon is also a lead investigator in Ontario’s BioCar Initiative, which takes agricultural products and processes them as polymer sources in order to develop plastics that can be used for the manufacturing of car parts. His role is to investigate the use of natural fibres and other renewable feedstock toward manufacturing plastic products. As a result of the Ontario’s BioCAr Initiative, straw fibers grown in Ontario were implemented in the manufacturing of plastics for automotive applications. This new technology started being applied to Ford vehicles assembled in Oakville plant in 2010.

Professor Simon has been presented with the 2005 Early Research Award (MRI-ON), the 2006 Young Canadian Innovator Award (OMAFRA), the 2007 Best Paper Award at the SPE-ACCE Conference and the prestigious Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (Caldwell Partners International) in 2009.

• Polymer Science
• nanomaterials
• bioproducts
• characterization of materials
• physical properties
• polymer reaction engineering
• sustainable materials for transportation
• chemical engineering
• materials science
• Nanotechnology
• Mathematical Modelling of Polymerization Mechanisms
• Polymer nanocomposites
• Synthesis structure properties and degradation of polymer materials

• 2001, Doctorate, Materials Science, Area of Study: Polymer Materials, Graduate Program in Materials Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
• 1997, Master's, Chemical Engineering, Degree with Distinction, Area of Study: Catalysis and Ionic Liquids, Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
• 1995, Bachelor's, Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

• CHE 241 - Materials Science and Engineering
  • Taught in 2020
• CHE 541 - Introduction to Polymer Science and Properties
  • Taught in 2022
• NANO 603 - Nanocomposites
  • Taught in 2022, 2023
• NANO 701 - Fundamentals of Nanotechnology
  • Taught in 2019, 2020
• NANO 702 - Nanotechnology Tools
  • Taught in 2019, 2020
• NE 125 - Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering
  • Taught in 2019
• NE 333 - Macromolecular Science
  • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

• Ashraf, Ahmad Raza and Akhter, Zareen and Simon, Leonardo C and McKee, Vickie and Dal Castel, Charles, Synthesis of polyimides from α, αʹ-bis (3-aminophenoxy)-p-xylene: Spectroscopic, single crystal XRD and thermal studies, Journal of Molecular Structure, 2018
• Abdulrazik, Abdulhalim and Elsholkami, Mohamed and Elkamel, Ali and Simon, Leonardo, Multi-products productions from Malaysian oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB): Analyzing economic potentials from the optimal biomass supply chain, Journal of Cleaner Production, 168, 2017, 131 - 148
• Esfahani, Azam Nasr and Katbab, AliAsghar and Taeb, Aidin and Simon, Leonardo and Pope, Michael A, Correlation between mechanical dissipation and improved X-band electromagnetic shielding capabilities of amine functionalized graphene/thermoplastic polyurethane composites, European Polymer Journal, 95, 2017, 520 - 538
• Alhumade, H and Yu, A and Elkamel, A and Simon, L and Abdala, A, Enhanced protective properties and UV stability of epoxy/graphene nanocomposite coating on stainless steel, Express Polymer Letters, 10(12), 2016
• Alhumade, Hesham and Abdala, Ahmed and Yu, Aiping and Elkamel, Ali and Simon, Leonardo, Corrosion inhibition of copper in sodium chloride solution using polyetherimide/graphene composites, The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 94(5), 2016, 896 - 904

• Currently considering applications from graduate students. A completed online application is required for admission; start the application process now.