Topic outline

  • ENROLLED STUDENTS, PLEASE CHECK ZOOM LECTURE LINKS UNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS (4.9.2020)!

    CHEM-E1100 provides a broad basis for understanding plant biomass and its use as a renewable source of materials, chemicals and energy. The lectures on the course cover the motivation and importance of using biomass over the fossil carbon sources, the chemical and physical structure of biomass, its conversions by mechanical, chemical, thermochemical and biochemical processes and the chemical and material products obtained through these processes. The lectures include interesting business case presentations from several companies (see the schedule below). Instead of having an exam, student groups write a mini review on a selected biomass source, a fractionation technology or a product and present their main observations in a seminar presentation, reflecting the contents of the lectures.

    The laboratory works cover the structure of plants observed by microscopy and the basic chemical characterization of biomass (ARTS students will study the behavior of selected biomass fractions instead). The laboratory works will be conducted in pairs on a given biomass sample. Each pair needs to write a short report on the experiments with conclusions on the sample. Because of the Covid 19 epidemic and the unexpectedly high number of enrolled students, the number of laboratory work hours will be reduced and several alternative time slots will be organized. All laboratory works will be organized in PUU1 building, Vuorimiehentie 1.

    NOTE! Working in CHEM's laboratories requires passing its laboratory safety course. If you haven't done it earlier, register on CHEM-E0140 - Laboratory Safety Course in WebOodi and do the electronic course under MyCourses before entering the labs. After completing the course, go get your lab pass from the Study Advisors' pop-up desk (CHEM main lobby, Kemistintie 1). ONLY STUDENTS WITH A LAB PASS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE LAB SESSIONS!

    Date

    Time

    Contents

    7/9

    14-16

    Overview

    Importance of natural resources and their uses

    9/9

    8-10

    Functions and structure of plants

    Optical and electron microscopy of plant preparations

    14/9

    14-16

    Chemical composition of plants

    Chemical analyses of plant biomass

    16/9

    8-10

    Chemical fractionation of plant biomass

    Case: Naveen Chenna, Andritz

    21/9

    14-16

    Biochemical conversions of plant biomass

    Case: Minna Yamamoto, St1

    23/9

    8-10

    Thermochemical conversions of plant biomass

    Case: Tuula Lehtimaa, Neste

    28/9

    14-16

    Material products from plant biomass

    Case: Emilia Vänskä, Metsä Fibre

    30/9

    8-10

    Chemical products from plant biomass

    Case: Pia Nilsson, UPM

    5/10

    14-16

    Further instructions to literature reviews and seminar presentations

    Case: Heli Antila, Fortum

    7/10

    8-10

    Summary 

    How to continue studies on this field (Tapani Vuorinen and Pirjo Kääriäinen)