Fibres & Wood Composites

Last changed: 13 September 2023

Our group works with fundamental and practical questions related to environmental-friendly composites made with sustainable wood and other plant fibres, secondary raw materials, and industrial fibrous side streams. These composites can be considered as alternatives over existing products used today in furniture and building.

A focus area is the study of renewable bio-based, bio-degradable and formaldehyde-free adhesives. Their use allows us to achieve new product designs associated with enhanced recycling options of final products, for increased performance and improved environmental profile of composites. Recent initiatives to increase resource use efficiency involve the utilisation of different waste materials (e.g. wood, agricultural biomass, paper, rubber) in combination with different inexpensive inorganic binders for the manufacture of new structural and insulation composites. We have fully equipped laboratories and employ diverse methods, such as fibre and particle size analyses, interaction of tissues and adhesives at macro- and micro-levels, physicochemical properties, thermal characterisations, automated bonding evaluation, manufacturing of composites with hot and cold pressing, non-destructive testing, changes of properties under varying temperature and humidity conditions, mechanical strength determinations including finite element analysis, and recycling processes.

Group members

Head of the group

Prof. Stergios Adamopoulos

Researchers

Dr. Joran van Blokland

Postdoc

Adrien Letoffe

PhD students

Valentin Silveira

Changling Xu 

Silvia Bibbo

Desalegn Yadeta Wedajo

Infrastructure

  • Microscopy and fibre analysis: Light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy (TEM/SEM) including advanced EM preparative facilities for biological samples. Static (FiberShape) and automated wet and dry (QicPic) fibre and particulate analysis. Campus access to confocal microscopes, atomic force microscopy, and SEM-EDX

  • Chemistry and Rheology: HAAKE MARS 60 rheometer. Chemical and thermal analyses with GC-MS, HPLC, Mettler-Toldeo TGA and DSC, FTIR, and UV and fluorescence spectroscopy. Brookfield viscocimeter with geltimer coupling assembly, soxhlet extraction, pH meter, dispersers, willey mill. Campus access to NMR, XRD, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

  • Composites: F3 Electra hammer mill, chip classifier, IMAL ultrasonic laboratory sifter, Joos Laboratory Press LAP 200, Lödige FM 130 D glue blender, Hobart 30 L mixer for inorganic binders, X-ray density profile analyser (Grecon DAX 6000), Automated Bonding Evaluation System (ABES), NDT acoustic system BING, MTS Criterion® Series 40 Electromechanical Universal Test System 1-100 kN, IMAL water bath for swelling tests, Pol-Eco ovens, Memmert climate chamber, creep stage with up to 20 positions in a climate chamber

Research

We collaborate with academia and industry, both in Sweden and abroad. Services are provided through Treeseach

Recent projects