Project descriptions
Here you can find a short description of each of FibRe’s projects as well as information for the contact person for all ongoing projects
Main Principal Investigator: Ulrica Edlund (KTH), Hanna Hobohm Skoog (Axfoundation)
Co-Principal Investigator: Simon Hilmersson (Nordic Seafarm), Clara Norell (Svensk Hampaindustri AB), Katarina Jonasson (Tetra Pak), Giada Lo RE (Chalmers), Anna Ström (Chalmers)
PhD Student/Postdoc:
To diversify the feedstock for FibRe and provide suitable starting materials, the project WtV enables (i) brown macroalgae (kelp) residuals from alginate production and (ii) grain residuals from hemp as (ligno)cellulose feedstocks. WtV generates materials and structureproperty insights that will help determine how the structure of the material and the specific composition of the husk hemp and kelp (ligno)cellulose influence the efficiency of subsequent modifications and the thermoprocessability. The materials generated in WtV are fully characterized and assessed for inherent thermoprocessability.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Giada Lo Re (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Roland Kádár (Chalmers), Ulrica Edlund (KTH), Per Larsson (KTH), Katarina Jonasson (Tetra Pak), Leif Karlsson (Nouryon), Emile Engel (Unilever)
Celluloses possess unique physical and chemical properties, which distinguish them from engineered thermoplastic polymers and have industrial potential. However, efficient processing and 3D shaping (via e.g. extrusion/injection moulding) remain challenging due to their complex viscoelastic rheological and thermomechanical behaviours, which limit their application. This project addresses these challenges by advancing the physical understanding of flow in modified cellulosic materials, with a focus on temperature-activated deformation and the role of physical/chemical modifications. The “flow” of modified cellulose fibres will be studied under different conditions of temperature/pressure and shear/elongational stresses and tailored to achieve viscous-like behaviour during the processing in conventional industrially relevant equipment into 3D-shaped materials (e.g. in the final products).
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Aleksandar Matic (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Marianne Liebi (Chalmers/PSI/EPFL), Daniel Söderberg (KTH)
While there has been a rapid development of X-ray imaging methods, their application to lignocellulose-based materials have been less prominent. Two main reasons for this are the typical low contrast between material components and radiation sensitivity. With this project we aim to break this barrier by utilizing imaging methods with very high sensitivity, e.g. phase contrast nano-tomography/ptychography.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Lars Evenäs (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Staffan Schantz (AstraZeneca), Frida Iselau (AstraZeneca), Helena Wassenius (Nouryon), Leif Karlsson (Nouryon), Per Larsson (KTH)
Postdoc:
This project builds on earlier FibRe-funded work (Karlsson et al., 2024; 2025), which demonstrated the use of DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy to quantify substitution patterns in cellulose ethers and dialcohol cellulose. We now extend this methodology to depth profiling in intact fibers, focusing on etherification reactions such as cationic modification via CHPTAC/EPTMAC.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Eva Malmström (KTH), Anette Larsson (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigator: Mikael Hedenqvist (KTH), Marie Bäckström (Stora Enso), Sören Östlund (KTH),
Postdoc:
The overarching aim of this proposed project is to acquire further mechanistic understanding of what controls the thermoprocessability of modified fibres. Ultimately, a successful project could potentially contribute to more resource-efficient use of materials in 3D products (such as trays, containers, etc.) while maintaining performance. Two intertwined postdoc projects (2+1 years) aim to investigate the effect on thermoprocessability by combining (i) mild refining on fibres with different lignin content from various sources with (ii) the addition of water and other plasticisers/additives of different Mw and polarity.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investogator: Per Larsson (KTH)
Co-applicants: Eva Malmström (KTH), Minna Hakkarainen (KTH)
PhD Student:
Starting from a thermoformable cellulose fibre, the project aims to furthermore introduce dynamic bonds that under conditions of use provide wet strength and durability, but yet recyclable under other specific conditions (such as higher temperature) where bonds are broken. Such functionality can be used also on native cellulose fibres, and fibres modified by other chemistry than to dialcohol cellulose, to introduce, for example sealability.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Per Malmberg (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigator: Anette Larsson (Chalmers), Per Larsson (KTH)
PhD Student: Nivedhitha Venkatraman (Chalmers)
This project combines advanced techniques like TOF-SIMS and X-ray scattering with classical methods to study NBSK and CTMP pulp fibres and paper sheets, aiming to understand the spatial distribution of lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose in fibre walls and link it to paper mechanical properties. The aim is to support the development of resource efficient and processable lignocellulose-based materials.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Eva Malmström (KTH)
Co-Principal Investigator: Tobias Benselfelt (KTH) and Daniel Söderberg (KTH)
Postdoc:
The project will generate fundamental understanding and knowledge towards composite materials with as high of lignocellulosics as possible. It will gain further understanding on modes of interaction between nanocellulose and polymeric nanoparticles. The extended library of nanoparticles have the capacity to introduce a new level of modularity to the CNF-hybrid materials (hard/stiff, hydrophobic/semi-hydrophobic/hydrophilic, labeled, etc.).
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Anette Larsson (Chalmers)
PhD Student: Arvindh Seshadri Suresh (Chalmers)
This project aims to study water interactions with biobased materials, focusing on cellulose derivatives. It will investigate how different substituents in cellulose derivatives interact with water and control water formation. It will develop and maintain knowledge around characterization methods needed to study the plasticization of biobased materials by plasticisers such as water.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Ulrica Edlund (KTH), and Annelie Moldin (Lantmännen)
Co-Principal Investigators: Anette Larsson (Chalmers) Lars Wågberg (KTH)
Post-doc: Guillaume Rivière (KTH)
The overarching aim of this project is to turn lignocellulosic biomass thermoplastic with as little modification as possible. Wheat straw and softwood pulp are the two targeted lignocellulosic feedstocks. We aim to find a suitable method and the key parameters for converting the pristine straw into starting lignocellulosic materials with partly liberated fibres and/or softened cell walls. It is also necessary to thoroughly characterize the straw lignocellulose to develop an in-depth understanding of morphology, chemistry, and process-structure relationships. When the straw lignocellulose is chemically modified to create a thermoplastic material, we need to compare the effects on structure and properties with the softwood pulp subjected to the same treatment to gain an in-depth understanding of how a specific treatment affects the structure.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Lars Wågberg (KTH)
PhD student/PostDoc: No extra person in this first phase
The access of reactant chemicals to the pore walls of wood-based fibres and annual crops is essential in order to be able to modify the properties of these fibres. For wood-based fibres it is well documented how the structure is changing with the removal of lignin but detailed information about how to reach the interior with different additives is still lacking. For annual crops the situation is not as well-documented, and the influence of chemical modifications is very unclear. An alternative to a mild opening of the fibre wall is a rougher mechanical treatment before chemical modification, which is interesting since the strengthening component in composites is no doubt the cellulose fibrils. The aim of this project is therefore a comprehensive literature review on the structure of and the availability of the interior of fibre walls and how this can be modified with different treatments.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Anette Larsson (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Per Larsson (KTH), Giada Lo Re (Chalmers)
PhD Student: Enrica Pellegrino (Chalmers)
This is an associated project to FibRe, partly funded by Vinnova through the Industrial Graduate School Resource-smart Processes. The project studies the morphological and structural properties of melt processable dialcohol cellulose fibres with the aim of linking their physical features to their observed thermoplaticity and melt processability. Furthermore, the project studies the processes needed to efficiently perform the two-step reaction process needed to produce dialcohol cellulose fibres, as well as better understanding and improving the after-following melt processing methodologies.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Roland Kádár (Chalmers)
Post-Doc: Marko Bek (Chalmers)
Our project introduces a new approach to understanding how materials behave under various conditions. At its core is rheometry, a method that explores how forces and motion interact in materials. This technique is essential to help us uncover the relationship between a material's molecular structure and its behavior, and to enable predictions of how materials flow under complex conditions. The aim of this project is to understand the 'processability' of newly developed materials at different length scales. Essentially, we're looking at how these materials can maintain their structure and flow under stress, which is crucial for developing innovative and sustainable materials.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Anna Ström (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Mikael Hedenqvist (KTH), Anette Larsson (Chalmers), Fabrice Cousin, LLB (France)
PhD Student: Ratchawit (Leo) Janewithayapun (Chalmers)
This project focusses specifically on material obtained from wheat bran, a major agro-industrial side stream, to generate fundamental physical knowledge of key factors enabling polysaccharides derived from side-streams thermoplastic. The extracted material that we will use is composed of arabinoxylan (approx 60%), lignin (approx. 10%), cellulose (approx. 15%) and others (15%) (this material is hereafter referred to as AX). The aim of this project is to correlate flexibility of modified AX backbone and sidechains with its glass transition temperature (Tg) and thermal processability. We will in addition focus on X-ray and neutron scattering profiles of the oxidized and modified AX and correlate these to AX topology. Finally, we aim to determine biodegradability and thermoplastic recyclability of modified AX.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigators: Eva Malmström (KTH), Lars Wågberg (KTH), Stephan Roth (KTH)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Åsa Jerlhagen (KTH)
Tailor-made polymer nanoparticles with controllable size and surface charge have been shown to improve toughness of cellulosic materials through the introduction of mechanisms for plastic deformation. It is hypothesized that these mechanisms that aid in plastic deformation also could be interesting in terms of thermal processability of lignocellulosic materials. This project aims to investigate on a fundamental level the deformation mechanisms that are introduced by tailor-made nanoparticles into cellulosic materials.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Anette Larsson (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Gunnar Westman (Chalmers), Christian Müller (Chalmers)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Robin Nilsson (Chalmers)
The aim of this project is to generate knowledge over how different substituents alter thermoplastic properties. The project studies thermoplastic cellulose derivatives like cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate etc. The project aims to build up the understanding around how different substituents in the cellulose derivatives influence properties like glass transition temperature (Tg), melting temperature (Tm), the degradation temperature (Tdeg), free volume, crystallinity, water absorption, transport of water, water vapour, oxygen and other gases. To determine the permeability of gases in dry conditions, and at different relative humidities (RH), a part of the project is to construct a gas permeability instrument.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Per Larsson (KTH)
Co-Principal Investigator: Giada Lo Re (Chalmers)
PostDoc: Emile Engel (KTH)
The project idea is based on earlier results showing that it is possible to dramatically alter the property space of cellulose-rich fibres by partly changing the supramolecular structure of cellulose. This type of modification has also been demonstrated to facilitate fibres that can be used in extrusion and injection moulding processes. However, the relationship between how and how much the fibres are modified, processing conditions (such as temperature and moisture) and final material properties are not established. The aim of this project is to establish relationships between dialcohol cellulose modification of fibres and the change of fibre properties, such as morphology, water holding capacity, rheological properties and processability.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigators: Anette Larsson (Chalmers), Giada Lo Re (Chalmers), Per Larsson (KTH), Jan Wahlberg (Tetra Pak)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Katarina Jonasson (Tetra Pak)
While thermoplastic behavior of cellulose is challenging, we know that dialcohol cellulose exhibit thermoplastic behavior in terms of softening, increased ductility, and melt processability. However, it is somewhat difficult to process dry dialcohol cellulose, resulting in high process forces and high temperatures causing discoloration of the material. It has been shown that the melt processability of dialcohol cellulose can be improved by addition of water, making it possible to process 100 % partly modified fibers at temperatures below 140oC, without causing discoloration of the material. The aim om this project is to understand the effect of moisture on partly modified dialcohol cellulose fibers during melt processing, to understand if the moisture only softens the dialcohole cellulose surface of the fibers or if the moisture deforms the cellulose core of the fiber or if it is a combination of the two alternatives.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Anna Ström (Chalmers) and Mikael Hedenqvist (KTH)
Postdoc: Bahiru Tsegaye (Chalmers and KTH)
Scalable technologies are vital to increase the competitiveness or commercial viability of thermoplastic lignocellulose over petroleum-based plastics. Native lignocellulose materials lack thermoplastic properties. However, modification such as changing the functionality or polarity by ring opening reactions, grafting of chemical groups and adding of plasticizers and lubricants are done to enable thermoplastic properties in the modified lignocellulose. This project aims to identify key properties which significantly influence the properties of modified lignocellulose during upscaling processes which will reveal the important mechanisms on a molecular/fibre scale for obtaining thermoplasticity on a larger scale.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigators: Ulrica Edlund (KTH), Annelie Moldin (Lantmännen)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Nazmun Sultana (KTH)
The overarching aim of this project is to turn lignocellulosic biomass thermoplastic with as little modification as possible. Wheat straw and softwood pulp are the two targeted lignocellulosic feedstocks. We aim to find a suitable method and the key parameters for converting the pristine straw into starting lignocellulosic materials with partly liberated fibres and/or softened cell walls. It is also necessary to thoroughly characterize the straw lignocellulose to develop an in-depth understanding of morphology, chemistry, and process-structure relationships. When the straw lignocellulose is chemically modified to create a thermoplastic material, we need to compare the effects on structure and properties with the softwood pulp subjected to the same treatment to gain an in-depth understanding of how a specific treatment affects the structure.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Anette Larsson (Chalmers)
Co-Principal Investigators: Ulrica Edlund (KTH) och Gunnar Westman (Chalmers)
PhD Student: Åke Henrik-Klemens (Chalmers)
FibRe aims to develop lignocellulose-based thermoplastic materials. One way to increase the thermal deformability is to add plasticizers and decrease the glass transition temperature, Tg. Plasticization is achieved by increasing the free volume, between the polymer chain segments, and hence the chain mobility. Such swelling of the materials is mediated by the addition of plasticizers (external plasticizers) or by covalently attaching substituents to the polymer chains (internal plasticization). This project aims to create thermoplastic lignocellulose-based materials by swelling the lignin-rich environments in the fibers by adding selected plasticizers and by partially depolymerizing the lignin chains with chemicals or radiation but not remove the created lignin fragments (as in traditional delignification).
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Per Larsson (KTH), Lars Wågberg (KTH), Gunnar Westman (Chalmers)
PhD Student: Johanna Sjölund (KTH)
To make cellulosic fibres more flexible and malleable the components inside the fibre must be properly modified, that is, the cellulose, lignin or hemicellulose needs to be at least partially transformed into a proper derivative. This project aims to functionalize cellulose with ether bonded cationic groups. Such modifications can be obtained by reacting an epoxide reagent, commonly epoxypropyltrimethylsmmonium chloride (EPTMAC), with alkali-activated hydroxyl groups on the cellulose backbone, resulting in fibres carrying a net cationic charge in the case of EPTMAC. Therefore, this project will study the structure–property relationship of a set of different fibres which have been subjected to cationization with EPTMAC.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Minna Hakkarainen (KTH)
Postdoc: Nejla B. Erdal (KTH)
(Bio)degradable materials have their place in applications where the degradability is part of the function of the material, when there is high risk for the product to end up in the environment or the product is contaminated by organic matter such as food residues. The materials, where degradability is part of the function are more easily achieved as they can be designed for specific disposal route or degradation environment with relatively well-defined and established conditions. This project aims to gain deeper understanding concerning the influence of chemical and physical modification on the degradability of lignocellulose materials in open natural, human-impacted or man-made environments.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Eva Malmström (KTH)
PhD Student: Adrian Eliasson (KTH)
It has previously been proven that it is possible to anchor various polymers (chemically or by physiosorption) to a range of cellulose substrates and that the corresponding materials’ properties are influence by the chemical nature of the polymer grafts. For this project, we are particularly inspired by the results obtained when -caprolactone (PCL) was grafted from kraft pulp fibers to form PCL-g-pulp which could be mixed with neat kraft pulp and formed into sheets using a Rapid-Köthen sheet former. Interestingly, it was found that the grafted polymer made it possible to hot-press the sheets together, into laminates, without need for any matrix polymer. The aim of the project is to investigate if sufficient mobility/shear-planes can be accomplished by the introduction of minor amounts of polymers. The idea is that the added phase/domains should provide sufficient flow properties to allow for thermo-processing under relevant conditions (temperature, pressure and time) to result in stable lignocellulose-based materials.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Lars Evenäs (Chalmers), Staffan Schantz (AstraZeneca), & Leif Karlson (Nouryon)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Hampus Karlsson (Chalmers)
Modified cellulose materials where different functional groups are added to the cellulose backbone can typically show a wide range of properties depending on the chemical characteristics of side chain addition. Heterogeneity of distribution of the attached groups, both within the repeating units and along the polymer chain can lead to failure of important industrial applications, for instance within pharmaceutical and chemical industry. The project aims to develop and apply DNP NMR methods that can be used for detailed characterization of side chain location on the repeating units and distribution both along the polymer chain and within the cellulose particles themselves as well as domain size characteristics.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Mikael Hedenqvist (KTH)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Patric Elf (KTH)
For lignocellulosic materials to be able to compete with today’s traditional petroleum-based plastics, it is important that they can be processed in conventional processing equipment, including extruders and injection moulders. An important question is here, which is the most promising way forward? With atomistic/meso-scale simulations different molecular and fibre/fibril surface modifications can be rapidly evaluated and assessed whether they will meet the target properties of the material. This project aims to understand how thermoplasticity is accomplished in lignocellulose materials using different main strategies (chemical route, physical route), as well as to obtain a modelling strategy on how to best predict and evaluate thermoplasticity in lignocellulose materials.
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Ulrica Edlund (KTH)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Liming Zhang (KTH)
The overarching aim of Fibre is to turn lignocellulosic biomass thermoplastic with as little modification as possible. This project aims to establish a solid understanding of the nature of lignin in two biomasses (bleached cellulose and wheat residues) as well as the hierarchical structure and morphology of lignin in wheat straw. This is done to address the questions: Is it possible to use the lignin in the plant cell walls and fibre bundles as shear planes when the macroscopic material is thermo-mechanically deformed? And what is state-of-the-art?
PROJECT CLOSED
Main Principal Investigator: Ulrica Edlund (KTH)
PhD Student/Postdoc: Linnea Björn (Chalmers)
To replace fossil-based plastics, there have been huge efforts in transforming biomass into degradable bioplastics. One approach is to introduce chemical modifications in lignin and/or cellulose to achieve thermoplastic material properties. To investigate the success of a specific chemical modification, material properties such as tensile strength and thermal properties are traditionally investigated. Some techniques provide information on the bulk properties in the material, but to get full insight of the location and effect of chemical modifications, high spatial resolution is essential. In this project, we aim to use and develop advanced X-ray techniques for the characterization of structure and chemical composition with high resolution.
ONGOING PROJECT
Main Principal Investigator: Per Larsson (KTH) and Lars Wågberg (KTH)
PhD Student/Post-doc: Cecilia Fager (KTH)
Some derivatives of cellulose show thermoplasticity. One such derivative is dialcohol cellulose and it has been shown that if the cellulose in pulp fibres is at least partly converted to dialcohol cellulose, the fibres remain being fibres while materials made from them display thermoplastic properties in terms of softening, increased ductility and melt processability. Since wood-derived fibres are heterogeneous in nature, it is expected that not all fibres are modified to the same extent and this project aim to shed some light one how the functional groups that have been introduced is distributed in the fibre wall, from the nanometre level up to the micrometre level.
PROJECT CLOSED