CD Laboratory for Cellulose High-Tech Materials

This CD Laboratory researches the properties and characterisation as well as the sustainable production and (re)processing of cellulose-based materials in the spirit of "green chemistry".

"Green Chemistry" is a very current and popular buzzword. The need for better, greener processes in the chemical industry is undisputed today. Green Chemistry means much more than just starting from renewable raw materials. A green chemical process takes into account all process characteristics, such as yields, solvents, auxiliaries, recyclability, energy flows, degradation and by-products, and environmental aspects. Supposedly green chemical approaches are often not very sustainable due to the inadequacy of these criteria and there is a risk of "greenwashing".

The pulp and paper industry, large parts of the textile industry and many downstream industries based on cellulose (and also lignin) already use renewable raw materials (biomass). In addition to the raw materials, "green" process aspects are now becoming increasingly important. This CD Laboratory is therefore dedicated to the chemical fundamentals of five research and development topics:

(1) Separation, analysis, purification and derivatisation of cellulose and biomass components using supercritical CO2. Supercritical CO2 is carbon dioxide that is in a special state of aggregation and has the properties of both liquids and gases.

(2) Combination of cellulose and renewable raw materials with modern, sustainable modification methods to avoid greenwashing of products and processes.

(3) Enhanced understanding of the degradation and ageing of biorefinery and cellulosic processing components as a basis for minimising side reactions, extending life cycles and improving the recyclability of products and processes.

(4) Advanced characterisation of (surface) modified biomass and cellulose components at the molecular level for a better understanding of structural, property and application relationships.

(5) General aspects of cellulose chemistry, in particular derivatisation, swelling and dissolution behaviour, reactivity, stability, analysis and characterisation at the molecular level, profiling of functional groups and molecular weight distribution, degradation behaviour and mechanisms, model compounds, and chromophore chemistry.

The application-oriented goals are strengthening and densification strategies for cellulose-based filter products, safe and efficient production of cellulose fibres, binders based on cellulose and biomass, and environmentally friendly textile dyeing.