Defibrillation of cellulosic substrates by novel bio-based ionic liquids
New bio-based ionic liquids were developed as a greener and simple pathway for the activation of cellulosic substrates compatible with chemical modification (such as in situ polymerization). Preliminary experiments showed that these ionic liquids promote swelling/dispersing/defibrillation/partial dissolution of cellulose while retaining cellulose I crystalline structure after regeneration (full dissolution is not achieved). To get a […]
Bottom-up assembly of synthetic plant cells
Recently, isolated CNFs has been utilized as outer cell wall to assemble around micro containers (Paulraj, T. et al., Nat. Comm., 2020). In such an assembly termed as “plantosomes” or synthetic plant cell, the lipid growth was regulated by changes in the pH or ions, similar to what occurs in plant cells. This project focuses […]
Upgrading recycled thermoplastics using cellulose oxalate for a more sustainable future
The absolute majority of plastic used today are fossil-based thermoplastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene. To an extent these plastics are recycled through mechanical recycling but the recycled plastic is mainly used for low-end, low quality products. This is due to decreased mechanical properties and due to that the recycled plastic often obtains a black […]
Nanolatexes for cellulose modification
Latex nanoparticles can be prepared via RAFT-mediated polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) in water. They are tailor-made and highly versatile nanoparticles that can be used for modification of cellulosic fibers due to their high affinity. Part of WWSC.
Cuticle-inspired barriers for lignocellulose materials
We have created moisture-barrier films using the second most abundant C16 hydroxy fatty acid (Fig. 1)1. These are semicrystalline materials with different degrees of toughness. The material shows a high “apparent” hydrophobicity, as revealed by contact angle measurements (110-130°, much higher than for PLA). The reason is due to the rough surface that we create […]
Sustainable High Performance Polymers from Functional Building-Blocks Created in Water
The projects aim to develop new materials based on renewable resources. The synthetic strategy involved is highly modular. This modularity enables a plethora of monomeric building blocks in one step. The final materials originate from abundant, cheap, and renewable reactants, meaning that the developed material would apply to all applications, ranging from advanced biomedical applications […]
Development of thermoplastic lignocellulose based materials
The aim of this project is to develop and increase the knowledge of thermoplastic materials from bleached pulp through minimal chemical modification.
Barrier and physicochemical properties of structured cellulose materials
Structured cellulose materials can form quite dense structures, which then yields high gas barrier properties. This has been shown for e.g. cellulose nanofibrillar films. The reason is most probably that these fibrils arranges them self side-by-side locally to the extent that it is often difficult to distinguish individual fibrils in the solidified films. In this project […]
Sustainable biocomposites
My research is about molded wood fibers, nanocellulose films, and polymer matrix biocomposites for desired properties, particularly mechanical performance within a sustainable development framework.Understanding the process, structure, and properties of hot-pressed biocomposites is the primary research question.
Synthesis, Characterization, Structure and Properties of Novel Non-Isocyanate Polyurethanes
To prepare novel biocomposites between cellulose (nano)fillers (nanofibers and nanocrystals) and NIPU thanks to their propensity to set up hydrogen bonding and interfacial covalent cross-linking with them.ESR9: To design biocomposites from novel waterborne or solvent-free functional NIPU polymers, where interface aspects and dispersion considerations are emphasized in order to achieve desired properties and processing characteristics.
Characterization of water transport in lignocellulosic systems
The aim of the doctoral project is to understand water transport phenomena in lignocellulosic systems better. The focus thereby lies on the characterization of cellulosic dispersions as well as wood-based materials employing state-of-the-art techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) neutron scattering as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Catalytic functionalization of lignin
In this project we functionalize lignin using catalysts to form functional materials suitable for crosslinking to thermosets and/or composite materials.
