3.1 Prehydrolysis liquors valorized to a flame-retardant coating
The production of dissolving grade pulp necessitates the removal of hemicellulose from biomass. The resulting prehydrolysis liquors are currently incinerated at low efficiency, hampering pulp production. Herein, the preparation and characterization of a polymer synthesized from hemicellulose derived monomers is described, offering an alternative to incineration. The polymer was prepared without solvent at room temperature, […]
11.Invited – Cellulose-based electrical sensor and their applications in healthcare and food systems
Celluose is a plant-derived abundant biopolymer that has been used in a variety of applications ranging from woven and non-woven fabrics to threads and food additives. Because cellulose-based sensors can be manufactured inexpensively, they are a hidden gem for producing large quantities of data that can be used for training machine learning models to provide […]
3.Invited – Synthetic carbohydrate polymers from xylose and other natural sugars: design, polymerisation and applications
In the context of the defossilisation of the chemical industry, our team has been investigating the incorporation of monosaccharides into synthetic polymer backbones. The goal of this research is to create renewable materials with attractive sustainability attributes (e.g., degradability, chemical recyclability), and which are tuneable thanks to the functionalisation potential of sugar moieties. This talk will […]
4.Keynote –Functional wood materials
Lignocellulosic resources have sparked growing scientific interest given their renewable nature and CO2 storage capacity. Wood, the most abundant natural lignocellulosic biomass on earth, provides manifold opportunities to utilize its excellent properties. Its hierarchical structure, bridging from the nanoscale of cell wall components to the integrative level of the stem of trees, can be utilized […]
4.Invited – Wood Nano-structure Regulation Toward New Functional Materials
Wood-based materials have been explored by humans for a long time. However, their applications in some cutting-edge fields remain limited due to their inhomogeneous structure and mediocre performances. In our previous studies, we developed various methods to modify wood cell wall structure, including delignification, in-situ dissolution and regeneration of cellulose nanofibers, cellulose crystalline regulation, nanomaterials […]
3.Keynote – Sustainable polyesters and resin components: combining bio-based resources with function integration
The incorporation of biobased monomers into polymer structures offers the possibility to develop materials in a more climate-friendly way. By using biogenic monomers, the carbon footprint of polymer production can be reduced. In the recent years we have developed thermoplastic and duroplastic polymer materials with specific biobased units for integrating specific functions. An example will […]
5.Keynote – THERMOSETS FROM UNTREATED KRAFT BLACK LIQUOR
Production of polymer materials from renewable raw materials that are interwoven with nature in a natural life cycle is a challenge of our generation. In order to make such materials inexpensive and thus, in a final iteration, useful for society, inexpensive raw materials, such as kraft black liquor, are appealing sources of atmospheric carbon. We […]
5.Invited – Mechanical Characterization of Natural Fibres: Enhancing Precision and Efficiency with Microrobotics
Interest in developing novel products which utilize various natural fibres is increasing in academia and industry. Mechanical properties of a fibre product depend on the structural architecture, mechanical properties of the constituents and their interface properties. Thus, in order to improve the mechanical properties of the end-product, it is of utmost importance to improve the […]
6.Keynote – Enzymes that upgrade renewable biomass to chemicals and new bio-based materials
Genomics initiatives have uncovered the critical importance of microbial enzymes to expand-ing the range of products that can be made from plant biomass (i.e., lignocellulose). So far, most applications of such enzymes focus on the deconstruction of lignocellulose to mono-saccharides and monolignols for subsequent fermentation to fuels and target chemicals. While necessary for capturing the […]
6.Invited – The importance of molecular architecture of wood for enzyme action
Polysaccharide structures determine their biophysical properties and enzymatic digestibility. Moreover, plant polysaccharide structures also influence their interactions and assembly in the cell wall, and consequently, properties such as strength of wood. The action of enzymes on biomass may be influenced not only by the structure of the polysaccharide but also the molecular architecture of the […]
