Topic outline

  • Welcome to Nordic Biomaterials with ChemArts!

    In the coming years, our material world will change dramatically. The overuse of existing raw materials cannot continue and global consumption must decrease. However, our need for materials will not disappear: also in the future, materials will come to nurture us, cover us, comfort us, delight us, as well as keep us alive. If used wisely, wood- and plant-based materials offer one possible pathway towards a more sustainable material world: they come from renewable sources, can be modified on a chemical level, and can be used for recyclable or biodegradable products. Combining natural materials with advanced technologies offer new possibilities for sustainable development within existing and emerging industries.

    Nordic Biomaterials with CHEMARTS (CHEM-E0165) inspires students with varying backgrounds (design, science, engineering, business) to combine design and material science for new material concepts and ideas. This graduate-level course introduces a broad spectrum of bio-based materials, especially wood-and plant-based. During the course, students familiarise themselves with practice-based material research, experience how interdisciplinary material research happens in practice, and explore how raw materials could be turned into innovative business ideas in the context of circular economy.

    Learning outcomes

    • Familiarize with materials that are processed either chemically or mechanically from trees or other plants, such as cellulose fibres, fibrils (micro- or nano-structured), lignin, bark extractives and novel combinations of these
    • The ability to develop innovative ideas through hands-on prototyping and experimenting with materials
    • Awareness of the main sustainability issues related to this field
    • Understand the principles of scaling the ideas towards innovations and even commercialisation
    • Experience of an interdisciplinary working environment in practice


    The total course workload of 160h (6 ECTS) is divided as follows:

    • 25h Self-paced orientation and Laboratory Safety course
    • 25h Lectures, discussions and presentation
    • 40h Class preparation and reflection
    • 35h Laboratory work
    • 10h Excursion
    • 25h Post-work assignment


    Evaluation: Pass/Fail. The passing of the course requires active participation individually and in teamwork, and a report of the working process.

    Teachers: Tapani Vuorinen, Janika Lehtonen, Pirjo Kääriäinen

    Teaching assistants: Pia Johansson, Anna Ihamuotila






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      Course schedule File PDF
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      Course materials and lectures Folder

      Here you find all lecture materials (guidelines, lectures).

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      Readings Folder

      Some further readings for your information and inspiration (books, reports, articles). 

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      Final presentations 18th August 9-16 Assignment

      The last day of the 2-week intensive part of the course, Friday 18th August 9-16, is dedicated for sharing your 1) most interesting series of experiments or 2) a potential material concept based on your ideas and experiments during the course. You can present either in pairs, teams, or individually. Upload your presentation here latest by 8 am on the 18th August.

      Each project will have max. 7 min to present and 3 min to short comments by the audience. 

      Two parts of the presentations are: 

      -a short pdf/pp (max. 5-6 slides incl. project name, idea, presenting concept/experiment series, next steps) 

      -selected set of your samples displayed on a table outside the lecture hall 

      Photographer will document the sample displays, and you can take your samples with you.


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      Course reports Assignment


      You need to document your working process in a personal learning diary on daily basis. To learn of the materials, you should observe, systematically document and analyse the material behavior when experimenting and afterwards. 

      The course report (=learning diary) is due to 31st August, to be submitted through MyCourses. It should consist of documentation (text, photos, drawings), reflection and argued conclusions of your working and learning process. The length is 15-20 pages, pdf format is recommended.


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