Strategy and aims

Research at WURC is concentrated on the morphological structure of wood and wood fibre in the range from approximately 500 nm to less than 1 nm (i.e. close to atomic and molecular bonding distance) and on the chemical structure and physical properties associated with fibre components. WURC also studies how structures and properties change when wood fibres are treated in various ways mechanically, chemically and enzymatically.

WURC shall:

• Provide an inventive and stimulating environment for high quality research and postgraduate education.
• Create a research environment where companies within the forest industry actively participate.
• Furnish industry with competent researchers.
• Become an internationally recognized research unit which attracts foreign researchers.
• Promote interdisciplinary research.
  
  The research within WURC shall:
• Significantly increase the basic knowledge of wood and wood fibres as regards their chemistry and morphology.
• Study and establish the effects of chemical, mechanical and enzymatic treatments on the ultrastructure and the influence of such effects on wood fibre properties.
• Be based on co-operation between universities, industrial research institutes and forest industry companies.
• Build up and maintain a source of knowledge to support further research and development in the Swedish forest industry, e.g. research of a more applied nature.
• Contribute to the development of new industrial processes, new fibre-based materials and new consumer products.