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 […]

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 […]

5.2 Nacre-inspired Composite Films Based on Cellulose Nanofibrils

The cellulose is the most abundant natural based polymer materials, has the advantages of renewable and biodegradable. The extraction process of cellulose into nanocellulose via up-bottom design strategy could afford high-performance to the materials. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are flexible, high-strength fibrils disintegrated from chemical wood pulp fibers, with typical diameters in the 3-10 nm range […]

5.4 Multifunctional Cellulosic Films: Sustainable Engineering and Modification Strategies

This work presents innovative strategies for engineering cellulose-based films with tailored functionalities, integrating physical structuring, chemical modification, and waste valorization to maximize resource efficiency. We introduce three key approaches: (1) Micropatterning via dewatering grids, enabling precise three-dimensional structuring of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films. This method allows for tunable wettability, optical modulation, and enhanced tactile properties, […]

5.6 High-performance biodegradable nanocellulose-based packaging produced by Roll-to-Roll

A biodegradable and transparent flexible food packaging material using a nanocellulose-based biocomposite was developed. The formulation consists of nanocellulose (NC), chitosan (CS), gelatin (Gel), citrate ester (CE), and glycerol (GL), carefully designed to enhance mechanical properties, flexibility, and barrier performance while maintaining full biodegradability and transparency. Nanocellulose provides structural integrity and an ultra-low oxygen transmission […]

5.1 Nanocellulose-based Circularly Polarized Organic Phosphorescence Materials 

Circularly polarized organic afterglow (CPOA) materials have gained significant interest for their capability of emitting circularly polarized light, exhibiting persistent afterglow without background interference, and offering mechanical flexibility. Here, we explore circularly polarized afterglow emitted from nanocellulose based cholesteric materials with directly doped chromophores, which exhibits strong persistent rafterglow (above 10 s), high optical ellipticity […]

5.3 Nanostructural Engineering of Cellulose Biocomposites for Enhanced Mechanical, Optical, and Functional Properties

Achieving high-performance cellulose biocomposites requires precise nanostructural control to optimize interfacial interactions, mechanical strength, and functional properties. We explored diverse strategies for enhancing cellulose-based composites through interfacial engineering, cross-linking, and hierarchical structuring. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) functionalized with hydrophobic quaternary ammonium ions (QAs) was employed to improve resin impregnation in holocellulose fiber (HF) networks, resulting in […]

P5.1 – Enzymes-assisted synthesis and degradation of poly(ethylene brassylate) and its cellulose composites

Ethylene brassylate, a macrolactone derived from castor oil, can undergo ring-opening polymerization (ROP) to yield poly(ethylene brassylate) (PEB), a fully bio-based polyester. In this study, PEB was synthesized using reactive extrusion (REx), a technique that employs conventional melt processing equipment to facilitate chemical reactions, eliminating the requirement for organic solvents. Lipase B from Candida antarctica […]

P5.2 – Nanocellulose-based Fabry–Pérot Optical Cavity

Reflective structural colour is an hot-topic in research nowadays as a substitute for dyes and pigments. The ideal system should provide high reflectance efficiency and chromaticity, along with good tunability to obtain the required colour. In this study, we demonstrate the production of high reflectance efficiency and good chromaticity structural colours based on the Fabry–Pérot […]

P5.3 – Lightweight and strong aligned cellulose-reinforced bio-composites as sustainable functional materials

Spun cellulose filaments and biobased resins show strong potential as future sustainable materials in structural engineering, automobile manufacturing and aerospace technology. These materials display complementary properties appropriate for combination in bio-composite materials where cellulose forms the reinforcing component and the resin acts as a tough matrix. A major challenge concerns balancing structure and functional properties […]