This multidisciplinary project tackles two key environmental challenges in Sweden and the EU: reducing peat extraction and managing sludge waste from pulp and paper mills. By repurposing abundant mill sludge as a sustainable alternative to peat, the project aims to advance peat-free mushroom cultivation—particularly for peat-dependent species such as the common button mushroom. The research […]
The construction sector in Sweden stands for about 22% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the embodied carbon in new buildings can be achieved by a transition to bio-based insulation materials since conventional insulation accounts for about 20% of the total embodied carbon. Additionally, bio-based materials are hygroscopic, i.e. they absorb moisture from the air
Our projects focus on the use of biopolymers such as cellulose, lignin, tannins and hemicellulose in formulations ranging from therapeutics, to home and personal care, agrochemicals and additive manufacturing, with the goal of reformulating without synthetic polymers. We are particularly interested in the use of green deep eutectic solvents to extract and modify cellulose, and
Greener formulation using biopolymers Läs mer »
Cellulose is a renewable and biodegradable material, but its natural structure limits its use in some applications. Chemical modification can impart new properties to cellulose and expand its applications. This project will investigate methods to enhance cellulose reactivity and accessibility, aiming to improve the production of cellulose derivatives.https://www.kth.se/fpt/woodchem/research/cellulose-for-high-performance-derivatives-1.1244385
Increased accessibility and reactivity of cellulose for high-performance derivatives Läs mer »
The project aims at developing deep and relevant knowledge in polymer chemistry (monomer synthesis and polymerization procedures) and structure-property relationships (biodegradability and properties) with the aim to accelerate the capacity to transition into more sustainable materials. The main goals of the are: I. Design and synthesis of monomers that upon radical polymerization result in polymers with
Readily biodegradable vinyl polymers from biobased resources Läs mer »
X-ray tomography is a powerful way of imaging the internal structures of materials, without having to apply advanced sectioning techniques. One limitation in X-ray tomography of soft matter (e.g. wood based materials, polymers) is the poor contrast between components, which is inherent due to low differences in electron density. This project aims to develop contrast
Tomograhy on soft matter and contrast modulation Läs mer »