LEARNING OUTCOMES
After the course the student is able to
- Tell the physical and chemical distinctions between natural fibres, regenerated fibres, and nanofibres
- Describe the basic structures, properties and functions of common hemicelluloses and lignins
- Master the morphology of the native cellulose microfibril and acknowledge how it affects nanocellulose preparation and properties
- Explain comprehensively how nanocellulose is produced
- Detect the major obstacles and difficulties in cellulose dissolution and regeneration through basic laws of physical chemistry
- Explain the main pathways to chemical modification of cellulose and nanocellulose
- Apply basic structure-property relationship to cellulose-based fibres and understand their implications in most common modern applications (excluding paper and board)
Credits: 5
Schedule: 06.09.2023 - 12.10.2023
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Eero Kontturi
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
Isolation of wood and non-wood fibres from the plant material; cell wall structure of lignocellulosic fibres; chemical structure and most common chemical reactions of cell wall components; crystallinity and morphology of cellulose; structure-property relationships of lignocellulosic fibres; sorption behaviour and effect on properties; fibre mechanics and modelling; defects in fibres and their effect on properties; dissolution of cellulose and manufacture of regenerated cellulose; structure and properties of regenerated cellulose; nanocellulose isolation, characteristics and applications
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Oral examination (50% of the grade)
Report based on the project work (50% of the grade)
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
12 lectures: 25 h (including preparation)
Examination: 20 h (self-study)
Laboratory project: 90 h (including planning, reporting, and presenting)
DETAILS
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
-
13 Climate Action
-
14 Life Below Water
-
15 Life on Land
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
All lectures take place in the first period.
The project work (laboratory exercise) takes place in the second period.
Teaching Language : English
Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Autumn I - II
2023-2024 Autumn I - IIA course implementation may be cancelled if the number of students enrolled to the course implementation does not meet the required minimum of five students. In the case of cancelled course implementations, the students enrolled to them must be provided with an alternative way of completing the course or be advised to take some other applicable course.