Topic outline

  • About the course

    CHEM-E1110 Lignocellulose Chemistry provides a deep understanding on the structure and reactivity of the main components (cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, extractives) of plant biomass, often called lignocellulose, with emphasis on the fundamentals and industrial relevance. The course consists of lectures and laboratory works. In order to pass the course, you need to submit a laboratory report (work to be done in groups), keep a personal learning diary and participate in a final discussion with the teacher.

    TEACHING EVENTS 

    1. Lectures will be organized each Wednesday at 14:15-16:00 and Thursday at 13:15-15:00 on weeks 43-48 (room L2, PUU 1 building, Vuorimiehentie 1). Each student needs to write a personal learning diary based on the content of the lectures, submit the diary at the end of the course and have a final discussion with the teacher. The learning diary and the final discussion will have 60 % weight on the course grade.
    1. Laboratory works (PUU 1 building, Vuorimiehentie 1) form a compulsory part of the course and they are organized on weeks 44-48. The laboratory works will be carried out in groups and each group will have a weekly 4-hour timeslot in laboratory. In the end of the course, each group needs to submit a single report on the laboratory works. The laboratory working and the report will have 40 % weight on the course grade.  NOTE! Working in CHEM's laboratories requires passing its laboratory safety course before entering the laboratories. If you haven't passed the safety course yet, register on CHEM-E0140 Laboratory Safety Course in Sisu and do the electronic course under its MyCourses pages asap.


    MAIN CONTENT OF THE COURSE

    Chemical structure, reactivity and physicochemical properties of cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin and extractives. Characteristic reactions of these constituents in fractionation of plant biomass in laboratory and relevant industrial processes. Chemical characterization of biomass and its fractions by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods.

    LEARNING OUTCOMES

    Laboratory skills to fractionate lignocellulose to its main constituents (cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, extractives) and characterize their chemical structure by chromatography and spectroscopy. Knowledge on characteristic reactions of the polysaccharides and lignin and ability to intercorrelate their structure and physicochemical properties.