Biobased carbon materials
Carbon materials such as filaments and powders have found widespread use in composite materials or as catalyst material. Currently, the majority of carbon products is based on petrochemical precursors. We investigate the use of wood-derived polymers (cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose) and other biopolymers (e.g., proteins) as bio-based alternative precursor material for various applications. These applications comprise carbon fibers, carbon material for energy harvesting and storage, and carbon catalysts for chemical reactions. State-of-the-art infrastructure such as a continuous carbonization line allow to develop pyrolysis protocols tailored to each biopolymeric substrate (mix).
People:
Projects supported by:
Ongoing projects:
- Elucidation of the structural development during cellulose carbonization for advanced carbon materials (2022-2026) funded by the Academy of Finland
- Exploiting Lignin-Carbohydrate Complex (LCC) through Artificial Intelligence (2021-2025) funded by the Academy of Finland
- Uncovering the synergistic effects between cellulose and lignin for advanced forest-based carbon fibers (2022-2024) funded by the Academy of Finland and Walter Ahlström Foundation
- Bio-sourced green catalytic technology for high value chemicals (2020-2024) funded by Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundations
Past projects:
- Unlocking the Entire Wood Matrix for the Next Generation of Carbon Fibers (StG, 2017-2022) funded by ERC
- Bio-based carbon fiber – commercialization (PoC 2020-2022) funded by ERC
Collaborators:
Key-equipment:
- Continuous carbonization line (low temperature furnace: up to 800 °C; high temperature furnace: up to 1600 °C)
- Nabertherm Tube Furnace RHTH 80-300/16
- Netzsch STA 449 F3 Jupiter & QMS 403 Aëolos Quadro