Renewable Materials

The utilization of CO2 neutral renewable resources into renewable polymers and composites offers high potential to alleviate the environmental problems associated with petroleum-based materials (recycling, greenhouse gas emissions etc). At FOBAWI, we are pursuing avenues to valorize renewable resources, in particular forest biomass, into renewable polymers and composite materials and innovative paper products. To advance the concepts of biorefineries, we are particularly interested in valorizing by-products of forest biomass conversion industry such as sawmills, pulp and paper mills, wood composites mills. For example, we are currently focusing on valorizing lignin and bark, by-products in the fabrication of pulp and paper, into bio-based adhesives, coatings and insulating foams. The main goals of our research are:

• Exploring green chemistry technologies for extracting biomass components at different scales such as cellulose nanofibers.
• Formulating new renewable polymeric and composite materials: this involves the design of composite interphases via green chemistry compatibilization routes when necessary.
• Processing bio-based materials into devices and end-products and studying structure/ property relationships and biodegradability. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding and optimizing the rheological behavior of bio-based polymer formulations for melt processes but also on exploring solvent-free technologies such as plasma technologies.

Current research projects in the working group Renewable Materials.

picture: Ohnesorge, 2009