Kontturi describes his project as follows:

The geometric world is usually perceived as being three-dimensional, but many chemists and physicists have long built two-dimensional models that aim to simplify and facilitate the understanding of complex three-dimensional structures and interaction. Such 2D models can be, for example, individual molecules or molecule aggregates on a highly even surface.

The idea behind my research is to use this 2D chemistry to understand the interaction between the cell wall polymers of plants and the hierarchical structure in various circumstances. Many physiological functions of plants depend on their cell wall structures, and this interconnectedness is not always known in detail. The properties of products originating from plants are also directly dependent on the structure and properties of the cell walls of plant fibres.

Engineering experimental 2D models by mimicking the interactive relations of a cell wall is a completely new approach to these problems in the field of basic research. Since 2D structures also have many applications in modern materials science, an in-depth understanding of 2D models also helps create completely new materials in which the special properties of natural polymers can be utilised.

Eero Kontturi has graduated as a Master of Science (Technology) in 2001 from the Helsinki University of Technology at the time. He completed his doctorate in 2005 at the Eindhoven University of Technology. From 2009 onwards, he worked as a Docent at the Helsinki University of Technology at the time, and he has now worked as a Senior Researcher at the Department of Forest Products Technology since the beginning of 2012. Kontturi has approx. 40 refereed scientific publications and he has acted as the instructor of three completed dissertations (Helsinki University of Technology/Aalto). He has previously received two personal fundings: Postdoctoral Researcher’s project funding from the Academy of Finland for 2009–2011 and an Aalto Starting Grant for 2011–2013.

Neste Oil created a new type of summer job in 2012 by hiring a "summer president", whose application process attracted plenty of attention in various media. The "summer president" works at Neste's communications department, gets acquainted with the various offices and reports on them online by means of a blog and social media. Applying for this job was a month-long marathon during which Laine recorded his application in the guise of a music video and collected supporters on Facebook. Neste Oil decided to hire Laine, who was one of the two applicants having attracted the most supporters

Mikko Laine is a third-year student of biotechnology and food technology. This multi-talented young man also considered applying for a place at the Theatre Academy and a post as a maths teacher, but his interest in bioprocess technology and the respect a Master of Science title commands in working life took him to the Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology.

Multi-talented student

Apart from studying, Laine works as a part-time presenter of the MTV3 junior children’s channel and spends his free time acting, singing and writing. He is also actively involved in the Chemistry Guild and the Representative Council of Aalto University‘s student union. Last winter, his time was also taken up by a role in the students’ drama group.

Laine heard about the summer president’s job from a friend of his who felt that the lively young man would be just the ticket for it. He explains that at times, he has found himself immersed in his hobbies and jobs almost by accident, driven by his interests and tips from friends. For example, he started the blogging, which he is expected to do for Neste, last year as a hobby for his employer for the summer, Linnanmäki amusement park.

Is such a busy life not wearing him out? "I work a lot, but I’m also able to take it really easy in my free time, I’m really laid back", Laine smiles.

Multi-talented Laine has not yet made any final decisions about his future. He finds it important to try out various jobs and learn to do different types of work, and laughingly, he says he models himself after the renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci. With his vast experience of communications, performing arts and writing, it will be interesting to see where this young man ends up once he gets hold of his Master of Science diploma.

Packaging is not just a practical and mundane protective cover in which to bring the product home.

- Packaging is also a medium for communication, a brand builder and part of an experience related to the product, Markus Joutsela, a researcher from the Department of Media in charge of the PACK AGE packaging design course, explains.

During the course, students will design innovative packaging in groups. The students were selected based on a written application with the view of each group having knowledge of various fields: design, communications, marketing, engineering and project management. Assignments were given by companies such as Nokia, Saarioinen and Valio.

- In the future, packaging being ecological, user-centred and part of an experience will become ever more pivotal. These things will also play an important role on the course. For the companies, the PACK AGE course offers an opportunity for trying out new solutions.

Mobile phone wears Grada

Thinking outside the box can produce packaging made of unexpected materials. The Team Nokia student group conceptualised a versatile and strong packaging for the Nokia smartphone out of Grada, the formable plywood launched by UPM.  

Packaging like this would not be thrown out by the consumer, but used as a container or something similar. In one of the concepts, the beautiful packaging was decorated with snowflake patterns.

- For example, paper can be used as substitute for plastic in many kinds of packaging in the future. New materials feature strongly on the course.

The School of Arts, Design and Architecture, the School of Economics, the School of Chemical Technology and the Institute of Design and Fine Arts of the Lahti University of Applied Sciences, are collaborating to run the PACK AGE course, organised 15 March- 16 May. 

Text: Tea Kalska

Photographs: Mikko Raskinen

Further information:

Markus Joutsela
+358 504 094 405
markus.joutsela@aalto.fi

http://pack-age.mlog.taik.fi/

The products in the photographs and the concepts mentioned in the text are not part of the companies’ policies but will be realised in the student projects of the PACK AGE course.

In the winning entry, engineering-oriented design was combined with architecture, resident-orientated approach and comfort, explains the course coordinator, Mikko Martikka. The design showed both innovative thinking as well as utilization of the existing infrastructure.

 – We wanted to make the area as bright, energy-efficient and beautiful as possible. We had the layout for the Kruunuvuorenranta area in Laajasalo, and we changed it to bring more light to the area, explains Hanna Vellonen, a student of water engineering and a member of the group with the winning design.

The buildings' pyramidal shape would make the apartments brighter, as the windows would face towards the south. The heights of the pyramid buildings would differ from each other to allow more light to the area. The height differences would also make it easier to orientate in the area.

Courtyards, tunnels and non-motoring

Kruunuvuorenranta is located close to the sea, and it is often windy and cold there. For this reason, covered courtyards, which even during winter would be comfortable places for leisure, were designed between the buildings.

 –We also designed there underground tunnels and parking places, from where one can be taken by elevator directly to one's apartment.

Otherwise, the area was planned for non-motorists; thus, moving around by foot or by bicycle would be effortless. Vellonen tells that the group had come up with an idea of a mode of transport never before seen even in Helsinki – a cable track suspended in the air: a carriage moving along it would take passengers  to the centre of Helsinki or to nearby islands.

Waste-consciousness up, waste amounts down

In addition to architectural solutions, the group thought about the ways of sorting the waste in the area.

– Increasing awareness would be the most important thing as far as waste sorting is concerned. For example, the buildings' mixed waste containers could have a code for each household. The code would be entered each time waste was thrown into a container. The residents would receive monthly information about the amount of waste produced by them.

Awareness of consumption would also have a relation to energy use. The apartments would have an energy panel, which would show energy consumption and its price to the occupant. The energy to the area would partially come from solar and wind energy.

 ̶ We also had brainstorming sessions on wastewater management. The dirtiest of the water would go directly to a water treatment plant, but water, cleaner by one grade, such as that used for washing clothing, could be stored with the help of a heat pump and used then for heating the buildings in the residential area.

In addition to Hanna Vellonen, there were five other students in the winners' group: Rinze Pietersma from the Netherlands, Yann Le Moing from France, Marco Ottavio Tarquini and Sergio Chirivi from Italy and Ines Stefanec from Slovenia.  Researcher Gary Watkins from the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology acted as the group guide.

Text: Tea Kalska

NEPTUNE network course at Aalto University

An energy-efficient residential area was designed during an international course organized by the NEPTUNE network. The network arranges yearly group projects, in which tasks related to the environment are solved by international and multidisciplinary student groups. This year's course was arranged at Aalto University, where the group was hosted by the Clean Technologies research group, led by Professor Olli Dahl, of the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology. The project was realized in cooperation with a group of Riku Vahala, Professor of Water and Wastewater Engineering.  FIDIPro Professor Stefan Winter played an expert role in the project.

Sheet metal is needed for various purposes in today’s world and enormous numbers of them are produced in large rolling mills. The sheets are mainly formed using traditional deep drawing and stretch forming techniques. These techniques require expensive equipment and tooling, so large numbers of the same product need to be manufactured in order for the production to be profitable. The production process begins with the design of the tooling and with all the different phases the process can last several months.

But what if a prototype, a unique object or a small batch is needed as quickly as possible? This is where the new incremental sheet forming technology steps in. The technology was originally developed in Japan for the needs of the automotive industry. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering has performed extensive research on the properties and usage possibilities of materials formed using incremental sheet forming. Arto Komulainen studied incremental sheet forming in his master's thesis. One of the objectives of his study was to examine how the method could be applied to manufacturing interior design elements.

“Many Finnish students have probably made a sauna ladle during crafts lessons at school by hammering a round metal plate,” says researcher Tuomas Katajarinne, M.Sc. (Tech.) from the Aalto University Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

“We don’t use a hammer, but an ordinary industrial robot,” he explains and shows how the tool controlled by CAM software slides along the surface of the sheet and moulds it into the desired form, this time into a bowl. In “positive” incremental forming, the form is created above the surface of the sheet and in “negative” incremental forming it is created below the surface of the sheet. Lubrication is used for reducing friction and improving surface quality.

Instead of a forming tool, the robot could use any other tool, such as a ball-point pen, with an accuracy of less than a millimetre. At best, the production process from design to ready product can be performed in less than an hour. The actual forming can be carried out using a blank holder and a simple mould, or in some cases even without a mould, saving time and costs.

Compared to traditional methods, metal formed using incremental sheet forming stretches more without being damaged. It can also be formed in new ways which enables the production of a wider variety of products. The flexibility of the method provides professionals, such as interior designers and artists, with new opportunities to use metal in their work.

“The Department of Materials Science and Engineering is exploring what incremental sheet forming can be used for, but the parties with the financial resources will decide what it will actually be used for,” Katajarinne states realistically.

He sees many opportunities in the method. Hospitals could start using formed copper as wall surfaces and interior design elements since copper has antibacterial properties. Metal façade elements could freshen up the appearance of dreary, suburban concrete blocks of flats. Such elements would also act as insulation and protect buildings from weather conditions.

“Nevertheless, there is a lot of work to do before incremental sheet forming can conquer the world,” Katajarinne says.

He explains that researchers are still not unanimous on the deformation mechanisms that take place during incremental sheet forming. It is particularly important to explore how incrementally formed parts behave in critical environments. If we want incrementally formed components to be used in the wings of aeroplanes we must first prove that their properties are at least as good as those of the components used today.

More information:

Researcher Tuomas Katajarinne
Aalto University
School of Chemical Technology
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

As crude oil resources have gradually started to diminish, there has been a constant rise in the production of renewable fuels and the related research work performed. Traditional biofuels include bioethanol that is produced from maize, wheat and sugar cane and biodiesel that is produced from palm oil and waste fats. However, the chemical composition of these fuels differs from that of fossil oil and additionally the raw materials used to produce them could be used as food. 

Renewable diesel, on the other hand, is a high-quality biofuel similar to fossil diesel, but it is manufactured from vegetable oils and waste animal fats. Adding hydrogen to these fats in a plant process turns them into a high-quality fuel, a hydrocarbon compound with properties that can even exceed those of fossil diesel.

Renewable and not part of the food chain

Microbial oil is oil that has been produced from organic compounds, such as sugar, with the help of micro-organisms. The oil-producing microbes can be bacteria, yeasts, moulds or microalgae. Microbial oil can be further refined in order to make different types of fuels.

“The starting point of our research has been to use entirely renewable raw materials that are either waste or agricultural residue and that are not part of the food chain. In practice, this means using lignocellulose which comprises much of the mass of plants. Suitable raw materials include agricultural residues, energy crops, wood-based sawmill and paper industry waste and paper waste. The objective is to use as much of the carbon in these raw materials as possible,” says Professor Simo Laakso.

As a result of the research project, Neste Oil and Aalto University have applied for several patents concerning the production of oil with the help of yeast and moulds. “We use safe yeasts and moulds from public and commercial collections,” Laakso emphasizes.

Microbes can produce oil amounts equivalent to up to 60-70 per cent of their dry weight. By modifying the refining process, the hydrocarbon composition of the renewable microbial diesel can be changed in order to make various end products, such as diesel or kerosene. The process only causes minor emissions and the use of chemicals is minimal. Using waste and residues as raw materials helps to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The widespread use of microbial oil would also entail other benefits. Professor Laakso gives two examples: “The sulphur emissions related to crude oil would end because microbial oil is entirely sulphur-free. Using agricultural residues as a raw material would decrease the formation of greenhouse gases because the residues would be used to produce oil instead of leaving them to decompose in the ground. Approximately ten per cent of the world’s areas under cultivation are used to grow rice. After harvesting, the rice straw is ploughed into the ground where it decomposes and produces methane. Methane is a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. If the straw was used to produce oil, this source of emissions would be eliminated.”

Finland as a pioneer

According to Professor Laakso, the co-operation project with Neste Oil has progressed from basic research to designing a pilot plant during these four years. “We have had all the expertise needed for the basic research under the same roof. A dozen experts from different fields have participated in the project and five postgraduate students have also been involved.

The commercial production of microbial oil will be possible by 2015 at the earliest. The capacity of Neste Oil’s current plants producing renewable diesel in Porvoo, Rotterdam and Singapore is 2 million metric tonnes per year.

The co-operation between Neste Oil and Aalto University has made Finland a pioneer in the use of microbial oil. Professor Simo Laakso is satisfied with the co-operation and the results that have been achieved. “Neste Oil gave us a free hand to carry out the research and the company’s special know-how has always been available when necessary.”

More information:

Professor Simo Laakso, simo.laakso@aalto.fi

It is estimated that in 2050 the annual demand of textile fibers ranges between 120 and 130 million tons owing to the growth of population and living standards. Because of the environmental and agricultural restrictions for cotton production, cotton cannot keep the present share of 31% from global fiber production. Thus, it can be predicted that in 2050 the gap of cellulose-based fibers is ranging between 7 and 10 million tons.  However, the growing demand for highly purified cellulose pulps is not only limited to textile applications, but also concerns the manufacture of cellulose acetate for high value-added films, plastics and coatings as well as cellulose mixed ethers for lacquers and printing, cellulose ethers and cellulose powder which have found important applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Moreover, dissolving pulps seem to be the preferred substrate for the manufacture of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), a future precursor of advanced materials. Currently, dissolving wood pulps are produced by the acid sulfite and the vapor-phase prehydrolysis kraft processes which were both developed in the 1950s. While the former remained technically largely unchanged, a modern displacement cooking procedure was adopted to the vapor-phase prehydrolysis kraft process, known as Visbatch®,  VisCBC processes as well as other displacement cooking techniques developed by Metso and GL&V, respectively.

The growing demand of high purity dissolving pulps, however, requires the development of novel process concepts which allow both the realization of advanced biorefinery concepts and the manufacture of pure cellulose pulps, revealing a quality profile comparable to that of cotton linters.

Our innovation strategy with regard to dissolving pulp comprises both the further development of existing technologies as well as radical innovations.

Principally, acid sulfite pulping offers a good basis for the realization of the biorefinery concept in that the three lignocellulosic polymers, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin may be recovered as dissolving pulp, monomeric sugars and lignosulfonate in economically attractive quantities. However, a lot of drawbacks are associated with the present acid sulfite pulping technology: low flexibility in the selection of raw material sources, long overall cooking time due to very slow impregnation of wood chips, inefficient and costly recovery of cooking chemicals, conversion of substantial amounts of released monomeric sugars to aldonic acids which reduces and hinders the recovery of the former and finally the low cellulose purity of the resulting dissolving pulps. SO₂-ethanol-water pulping (SEW) has the potential to be a viable alternative to metal-based acid sulfite cooking. Yet the former process has certain distinct advantages over the latter in terms of rational biomass use and operational efficiency.  The ethanol present in the cooking liquor allows fast transport of the pulping agents to the reaction sites inside the wood, which eliminates the need for a separate impregnation step and decreases substantially the overall cooking duration. Further, ethanol is known to be a better solvent for lignin and lignosulfonate than water. The absence of a base in the process reduces the recovery cycle to simple distillation of ethanol and unreacted SO₂. Ethanol does not participate in the reactions and can thus be recovered almost quantitatively. The presence of ethanol and the absence of a base reduce the amount of hydrosulfite anions, which are responsible for the oxidation of monosaccharides to aldonic acids, a wasteful pathway seen in conventional acid sulfite pulping.

Together with the pioneers of SEW pulping, Professor Adriaan van Heiningen and Dr. Mikhail Iakovlev, the SEW fractionation concept is currently investigated with regard to the manufacture of dissolving pulp from spruce wood.  The experimental work is largely done by You Xiang within the framework of her Master’s thesis. The preliminary results confirm the above mentioned advantages of the SEW process over the Mg-based process. However, the yield and the purity of the resulting dissolving pulp are comparable to those of the Mg-based acid sulfite process.

The limitations in terms of cellulose purity as revealed for the SEW process may be overcome by the following two developments: The first concept envisions hydrothermolysis as a pre-fractionation process where hemicelluloses may be removed quantitatively, if required. At the same time large amounts of lignin are degraded, presumably by the cleavage of LCC bonds and, moreover, by homolytic cleavage of arylether bonds. The final delignification may be accomplished by subsequent mild alkaline delignification or by dissolution in an appropriate solvent. To minimize secondary side reactions, e.g. recondensation reactions, hydrothermolysis will be carried out in a flow-through reactor system. As a first reactor system we pursue a flow-through reactor with combined recirculation and percolation mode as shown in Figure 1.

.

Figure 1:     Equipment for hydrothermal pretreatment and Soda anthraquinone cooking (W = water; SAQ = Soda-AQ cooking; H = hydrolysate)

Following this concept, the sugar concentration reaches a level which ensures a cost-effective conversion to value-added products. By applying appropriate conditions, the hemicellulose content of the wood may be lowered to 1-2% on odw, while the cellulose content remains basically unchanged.

The second technical concept of hydrothermal treatment constitutes a shrinking-bed reactor. It is a percolation-type reactor, capable of reaching temperatures up to 300 °C and pressures up to 130 bars. The reactor is characterized by a piston that moves downwards and compresses the woody biomass along with its degradation and dissolution. This allows for a constant packing density within the reactor chamber, as well as for a reduction of the liquid retention time at a given flow-rate. This novel technology is expected to be very efficient and selective in the removal of hemicelluloses.  Figure 2 shows an image of the core part of the reactor system.

Figure 2: Lab-scale shrinking-bed reactor

As already mentioned, the residual lignin remaining after the hydrothermal treatment is removed either by mild Soda-Anthraquinone (SAQ) treatment or by dissolution in a selective lignin solvent. The addition of an appropriate stabilizer during SAQ cooking has shown to preserve pulp yield efficiently. The sulfur-free lignin released during SAQ cooking or solvent extraction is isolated and purified following known protocols.

The second approach for the manufacture of a high-purity cellulose pulp envisages pre-alkaline extraction followed by SAQ cooking and post-alkaline extraction treatment. This fractionation scheme aims at producing cellulose pulp and hemicelluloses both of high molar mass and purity. Quite recently we could show that pre-alkaline extraction of hardwood allows the removal of about one third of the wood xylan as a high molar mass polymer while only small amounts of lignin are removed concomitantly which cheapens subsequent xylan isolation and purification procedures.  Pre-alkaline extraction of wood does not significantly lower the hemicellulose content of the unbleached pulp. However, it contributes to a higher lignin purity of the black liquor which in turn simplifies the recovery of sulfur-free lignin. Thus, the final pulp purity is accomplished by cold caustic extraction (CCE), typically applied after oxygen delignification.  This treatment is particularly suited for the removal of xylan, while it is less efficient for the separation of glucomannan, the main hemicellulose component of a softwood pulp. For the refining of the latter we suggested to add borates to the alkaline extraction solution which is known to facilitate the removal of glucomannans. The final bleached pulp is subjected to an endoglucanase (EG) treatment for the adjustment of pulp viscosity to the desired level and to improve the accessibility of the individual cellulose molecules. The latter is important for subsequent dissolution or derivatization reactions of a dissolving pulp. The technical concept is visualized in Figure 2.

Figure 3: Scheme of the manufacture of high molar mass, high-purity cellulose pulp and the separation of hemicelluloses and sulfur-free lignin. 

All the mentioned concepts of dissolving pulp manufacture are based on existing pulping technologies.  However, a completely new concept for the preparation of a pure cellulose pulp is currently under investigation. Unfortunately, it is too early to disclose this ground-breaking technology due to a pending patent application.

Last but not least it is my pleasure to introduce my dissolving pulp research team:

From left to right: Dr. Marc Borrega, MSc. Lidia Testova, Xiang You and Dr. Mikhail Iakovlev.

Herbert Sixta, Biorefineries Research, Department of Forest Products Technology, School of Chemical Technology

“The objective of my research project was to decrease the number of breaks occurring in paper machines. Regular web breaks result in the loss of production time,” Ora explains. 

Ora’s dissertation examined the effect the structure of paper has on wet web strength properties. Re-wetted mill-made paper reels were run on a pilot runnability device and the strength of the wet web was measured in situ on the press section of a pilot paper machine. The strength of the fibre web run through the machine directly affects the number of breaks.

“The runnability of a paper machine is affected by several factors, but the effect that paper structure has on wet web strength and runnability had not been explored very extensively in the past."

Lowering the costs of the paper industry

Among other elements, Ora used formation to examine the structure of paper. Paper has poor formation when major small scale basis weight variation occurs. This means that a sheet of paper has a lot of small areas that are thinner or thicker than desired.

”My research revealed that unlike in old Fourdrinier-type machines, in modern paper machines improving formation does not increase the average strength of the wet web. Instead, it affected the wet web’s tensile strength variation.”

According to Ora, tensile strength variation has an impact on the costs of the paper industry. If tensile strength variation can be reduced, paper can be manufactured from weaker and less expensive raw materials while experiencing fewer breaks.

“If formation can be improved, tensile strength variation can also be reduced. This will result in fewer breaks and better paper machine runnability.”

The effect formation had on tensile strength variation depended on the dry solids content (DSC) of the paper and the scale of formation. In wet papers, large-scale formation had the strongest effect, whereas in dry papers small-scale formation was more significant. The poorer the formation, the lower the DSC at which the effect of formation appeared.

The public examination of the doctoral dissertation

The doctoral dissertation of Markku Ora, M.Sc. (Tech.), "The effect of web structure on wet web runnability", will be publicly examined at the Puu2 auditorium of the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology (Tekniikantie 3, Espoo) on 20 April 2012 at 12 noon.

For further information, please contact Markku Ora:

markku.ora@upm.com

The programme combines field-specific and interdisciplinary mentoring and international networking is also part of this year’s programme.  The application period has already begun and information on applying can be found in AlumniNET.

Student-alumni mentoring improves the working life skills of students, promotes the networking of students and alumni, and increases the sharing of knowledge and skills. In addition to the private meetings between the students and the alumni, an important part of the programme consists of seminars, company visits and thematic meetings in small groups.

All those alumni who have graduated from one of the predecessors of the schools of Aalto University and have been in working life for at least five years can apply to become mentors. Mentee applications are accepted from master’s degree students.

The application period will continue until May 15^th. The programme will continue throughout the academic year 2012-2013.

Long history in mentoring

The mentoring programme has a long history at Aalto University. Student-alumni mentoring has been arranged at the School of Economics since 1999 and at the University of Technology since 2000. The School of Arts, Design and Architecture is taking part in the programme for the first time this autumn.

The students who participated in the mentoring programme in 2011 have praised it for the support it has provided for their future plans. For the alumni, the programme offered an opportunity to challenge their views and established opinions on working life. Here are some comments from last year’s participants:  

 “Mentoring offered me a lot of support and my confidence in the future grew stronger. Now I know what I want to do after graduation.” (mentee 2011)

“Mentoring provided me with useful tips on the challenges of working life and especially on my own well-being at work.” (mentee 2011)

“I learned to look at working life from a wider perspective and my concerns about the future were alleviated.” (mentee 2011)

“The mentoring programme offered me several new contacts and gave me a better understanding of the life students lead and the issues that are currently topical. (mentor 2011)

“My mentee has made me look at things from new perspectives and I have had to/had the opportunity to examine my own opinions and attitudes critically.” (mentor 2011)

“Meeting young people enables you to grow.” (mentor 2011)

The research work, conducted at the Department of Chemistry, began in early 2012 and is connected with the eSINi research project.  According to post-doctoral researcher Tanja Kallio, the project aims to determine how the charging impacts different battery types and their durability.  In an electric car, a battery is an expensive and important component. Turning the battery over to an outside party, such as an energy company, for charging and discharging requires certainty over the impacts of the procedure on the battery. Kallio thinks that free use of the batteries might be of interest to energy companies. Before creating such practices, it is important to make sure that they do not damage the battery.

"Lithium-ion batteries include a Battery Management System (BMS) that would normally manage the charging of the battery and prevent overcharging and other error situations. In case there is no certainty of interoperability between BMS and an external system, BMS cannot be included in the battery. Even then, the safety of the battery must be ensured", says Kallio. 

Book-sized cell in a cooling cabinet 

As the lithium-ion batteries studied in eSINi are made by several different manufacturers and the batteries contain a number of different chemistries, the Department of Chemistry offers its expertise for the analysis of the differences between battery types. While the department also carries out its own research on battery materials, the eSINi project focuses on batteries already on the market. The study explores whether it would be possible for Finns here to use a car manufactured in Spain, for example, including a lithium-ion battery.

According to professor Kyösti Kontturi, similar research projects have been carried out previously in different parts of the world, but the long winter and cold climate in Finland introduce a new element to the study. For this reason, results obtained elsewhere cannot be directly generalised here.

"In practice, the object studied in the laboratory at the Department of Chemistry is not an entire sample battery but a single cell that represents the whole battery within reasonable limits of current, voltage and power," explains Kallio. The material chemistry of the cell, roughly the size of a book, is examined for example using a climate cabinet with adjustable temperatures in order to determine the effect of cold weather on the battery. If, due to cold air, a certain battery type breaks down or does not work properly, it is dismantled and efforts are made to determine the reason for the malfunction. 

The eSINi (Electrical Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for Urban Environments) research project aims to enable broad adoption of electric cars particularly in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. In the project, the researchers plan and explore the need for different charging points and other infrastructure related to the cars.

The eSINi research project is part of a larger entity focusing on the designing of electric transport. It is a parallel research project to the Electric Traffic in Metropolitan Helsinki project, and its main funders are the EVE programme by Tekes and the Innovative City programme by the City of Helsinki.

More information

• Website of the Electric Traffic project

• The electric car revolution: smart charging systems a prerequisite [elec.aalto.fi]

• Eco Urban Living program develops Espoo into an eco-sustainable city

• Electric cars where tested in a temperature of -20 below cero – check out the video on YouTube

• Filling up with electricity [sci.aalto.fi]

In the picture Outi Toikkanen, Juha Erkkilä and Ville Pihlajaniemi

The dissertation award was granted based on scientific level of the dissertation, time spent on the completion of the doctoral degree and success in studies. The school’s Doctoral Programme Committee decided to grant the award to Outi Toikkanen, D. Sc. (Tech.) for her dissertation "Synthesis, Surface Assembly, Characterization and Electrochemistry of Gold Nanoparticles". The experimental part  of the thesis was very challenging. The author demonstrated her ability to synthetize and work with clusters of only  dozens of  atoms  applying them  to discover and study new phenomena. The doctoral research was supervised by Professor Kyösti Kontturi.

Scientific level highlighted as criterion in the assessment of Master’s theses

With the Master’s theses, the evaluation criteria consisted of the assessment statement for the thesis, time in which the degree was completed and success in studies. Degree programme heads submitted their proposals, based on which a decision was made by Chairman of the school committee, Professor Tapani Vuorinen. The assessment statements of the prize-winning Master’s theses highlighted the high scientific quality or industrial significance of the studies, comprehensive understanding of the topic and clear and grammatical language.

The aim of Ville Pihlajaniemi’s thesis "New acidic fungal cutinases from Sirococcus conigenus and Aspergillus niger" was to purify, identify, clone, produce, characterise new acidic cutinases. Cutinases are enzymes that break down the wax-like substance of the membrane covering plant surfaces. The results of the study are scientifically significant, as the study was able to demonstrate for the first time the existence of cutinases operating in acidic environments. The author plans to report the findings in the form of a scientific publication. In the assessment, Pihlajaniemi’s study was characterised as a high quality scientific effort in terms of both design and implementation. The preparation of the Master’s thesis was supervised by Professor Matti Leisola.

The goal of Juha Erkkilä’s thesis "Hardenability and tempering resistance of direct-quenched abrasion-resistant steels" was to explore the properties of wear-resistant steels and the factors affecting these phenomena. Erkkilä has successfully limited his broad subject matter to create a functional entity. The comprehensive literature survey explores the manufacture of direct-quenched steels and their properties. In addition, the work presents a notably large number of empirical results that have been consistently reported and presented in relation to the information provided in the literature review. The results of the study have industrial significance.

The objective of Valtteri Schildt’s study "The effect of converting parameters on final product properties" was to determine optimal parameters for the unit operations used in converting of tissue products in order to improve the functional properties of the product. In his work, Schildt determined the factors that influence the functional properties of the end product and showed their impact and reliability, which promotes the guiding of development in the field in the right direction through systematic research. The starting points for the study were challenging, as very little theoretical information and literature on applied research is available on the manufacture and converting of tissue products as a branch of industry. The preparation of the Master’s thesis was supervised by Professor Jouni Paltakari.

Picture by Tuike Lehko

The groups are busy working. One of the research groups designing the residential area is made up of students Stytse Van Der Molen (the Netherlands), Juho Purhonen (Aalto University), Palash Sarkar (Aalto University), Pauline Fatiga (France) and Gianmaria Vitale (Italy) as well as two Slovenian students. They are now looking into how to make the neighbourhood as environmentally friendly as possible.

“We have worked together on planning the area, but we have also divided work within the group by the area's themes such as water, energy and waste management,” explains Mr. Sarkar. Next the group will consider public facilities and how to divide the total energy consumption permitted for the area.

There is plenty of work to complete before Friday’s 15 minute presentation and assessment. “For us winning the competition is not what is most important, but rather working in an international group and finally seeing the ideas other groups have come up with,” states Gianmaria Vitale.

The students believe that design of the area will follow the same format in all the groups. According to Juho Purhonen, the greatest differences will be in whether groups concentrate on the whole or selected details and small innovations during their short presentation. “We will place an emphasis on the area’s design as a whole, but we will also pay attention to details in some amount", Mr. Sarkar summarises.

The students are enthusiastic about the project, although for some, it does not correspond with their line of studies. For example, while Mr. Vitale will graduate as a civil works engineer, Mr. Purhonen’s major is paper technology. All the group members emphasise the importance of this experience for its social and international aspects. In the evenings, students forget about their design work and get to know one another as well as the culture and foods of other countries. The project has brought some of these students to Finland for the first time. “It is fantastic here, but terribly cold,” Mr. Vitale and Ms. Fatiga exclaim in chorus.

For further information click here

During March 9-17, students from France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia and Finland will be working together on the project “Design for Living Environment, from Micro to Macro” led by FiDiPro (Finland Distinguished Professor) Stefan Winter. The project is formed around the ongoing urban planning activities in Helsinki, where students work on a project which is part of the new Kruunuvuorenranta residential area planned in Laajasalo. The project considers the possibilities and practical applications for efficient housing constructed from wood, in a high population density development, with respect to the overall plan of energy efficiency, energy production and self-sufficiency, including traffic arrangements, water and wastewater engineering solutions and waste management.

The partner universities will have been working on preparatory assignments as an orientation to the problem prior to their arrival in Finland. The whole project group then travels to Nuuksio National Park for an orientation weekend concentrating on team building and detailed information on the project aspects. During the rest of the week, mixed international student teams will compete against each other on their project solutions and proposals at the Department of Forest Products Technology and Design Factory at Otaniemi. The week concludes with a final seminar where a designated jury of experts drawn from academia and local government will review and choose the winning proposition.

Aalto School of Chemical Technology Clean Technologies group (CleanTech) lead by Prof. Olli Dahl, which offers education in environmental management and technology, has been active in using various progressive educational methods to enhance learning. The group belongs to the NEPTUNE network that organises multidisciplinary international study projects. This year CleanTech hosts one such project in co-operation with Water and Wastewater Engineering (Prof. Riku Vahala) in Aalto School of Engineering.

There will be several lectures providing interesting perspectives on the main themes during the week. These lectures are open for everyone. If you are interested in the topics, please feel free to attend. All lectures are arranged at the Department of Forest Products Technology, Tekniikantie 3, Otaniemi.

Lecture schedule:

March 12 (Mon) 9:00 – 10:00 am. Prof. Stefan Winter (Aalto University, FiDiPro/ TU Munich): “Multi-Storey Timber Structures – Construction, examples” 

March 14 (Wed) 9:15 – 10:00 am. Prof. Pekka Heikkinen (Aalto University, Department of Architecture): “Architectural considerations for zero-energy wood construction”

March 15 (Thu) 10:00 – 11:00 am. Mr. Kerkko Vanhanen (HRT): “Kruunuvuorenranta: Short Distance to the City Centre – from a Birdseye View “

Being part of the Neptune circle has given the teachers good experience in the development of versatile working methods and in broadening the view of engineering education today. Student feedback from past projects shows that participation has been rewarding which encourages our continued involvement in similar work.

The organising team would like to thank the following partners for their great assistance and co-operation in making the current project possible:

Maa- ja vesitekniikan Tuki registered association.

Helsinki – City Planning Department.

HRT – Helsinki Regional Transport.

Design Museum Helsinki.

HSY – Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority for providing an insight into wastewater treatment technology.

Suburb 2072 and Aalto 365 Wellbeing project in Aalto School of Art and Design as a part of the Helsinki World Design Capital 2012 for sharing valuable information in urban planning projects from the resident and designer points of view.

Neptune organising team is: Mao Ono, Gary Watkins and Mikko Martikka

More information: blogs.aalto.fi/neptune and facebook.com/neptune2012helsinki

A phase is a state of a substance: e.g. in a system consisting of ice, water and steam, there are three phases. At phase equilibrium, two phases such as liquid and gas have the same temperature and pressure, and the phase composition does not change anymore.

The removal of carbon dioxide requires a particular type of chemical processing unit, in which e.g. an alkanolamine aqueous solution captures carbon dioxide from a gas stream. Much of Dell'Era's dissertation is expressly related to how carbon dioxide dissolves in aqueous alkanolamine solutions. In addition, Dell'Era measured the phase equilibria of aqueous solution of alkanolamines.

Power plants are major producers of carbon dioxide, so building carbon capture units in their proximity may be advantageous. However, the construction of chemical units costs a lot of money. If a precise model is available, it can be used to reduce the costly construction of pilot units in process development. Thus, modelling saves money and the construction phase is reached quickly. In addition, modelling is used for optimising the operative conditions of chemical processes. As a result, money can be saved even after the unit has been built. "If the models are sufficiently accurate and it is known how the unit works, then the unit can be optimally run," says Dell'Era.

Tool for the design of chemical separation processes

"The chemical industry needs separation processes. For example, petrol is made from components which are separated from crude oil. Separation is also used in cleaning processes: for instance environmentally harmful components are often removed from mixtures, such as sulphur compounds from petrol."

Components in mixtures can be separated from each other exploiting phase equilibria. For example, it is easy to remove a solid from a liquid. The thermodynamic phase equilibrium models developed by Dell’Era are tools which can be used for designing separation processes in the chemical industry.

"In designing separation processes you have to know how various mixtures behave and how they separate into different phases. Once phase equilibrium is modelled, using a process simulator the temperature or pressure at which a component goes e.g. to the solid phase can be calculated."

In her dissertation Dell’Era measured a large number of phase equilibria for mixtures of interest to the chemical industry, in particular short-chain hydrocarbons, alcohols and sulphur components. With the support of these measurements, suitable models for these chemical mixtures were developed.

"There are actually many thermodynamic models available, but these models need measurements to help them accurately describe reality. In my dissertation I have developed suitable models for certain mixtures."

Public defence of dissertation

Claudia Dell'Era's dissertation, "Phase equilibrium measurements and modelling for separation process design" will be examined at Aalto University School of Chemical Technology on 16/03/2012 at 12:00, at Chemical Technology Building, Lecture Hall Komppa, Kemistintie 1, Espoo.

Further information:

Claudia Dell’Era

School of Chemical Technology

claudia.dellera@aalto.fi

Mangling straightens the fibres of a cotton sheet and makes the sheet smooth and stain-resistant and compressing the surface of solid wood makes the surface of the wood harder. The hardness of the surface can be increased by approximately 100 per cent, depending on the degree of compression. This makes pine and spruce as hard as species such as oak or beech. 

Rautkari presents three slightly differing methods in which the surface of solid wood is densified with the help of mechanical compression, heat and moisture. A denser, unbroken surface repels moisture. Compressing also brings out resin. The process results in a protective film that increases the surface’s ability to repel dirt and moisture. Therefore, further post-treatment may become unnecessary, which would decrease production costs.

Research in Switzerland and the United States

Rautkari has performed the majority of his research abroad. He first spent a year in Switzerland where he launched the project. Then he sojourned in the United States for six months working at Oregon State University where the rare equipment needed for compressing wood was available.

Rautkari points out that further research is still required and that the results cannot be immediately used by the wood-processing industry.

The public examination of the doctoral dissertation

The doctoral dissertation of Lauri Rautkari will be publicly examined at the auditorium of the Department of Forest Products Technology at the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology on 24 February 2012 at 12 noon. The address is Tekniikantie 3, Espoo. The title of the dissertation is Surface modification of solid wood using different techniques.

The opponent will be Dr. Heiko Thömen (Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland).

Further information:

Lauri Rautkari, M.Sc. (Tech.)

The Aalto University School of Chemical Technology

lauri.rautkari@aalto.fi

tel. +358 50 569 3458

Post-doctoral researcher Eero Kontturi from the Aalto University Department of Forest Products Technology got carried away with nanocellulose a little more than five years ago: "I am especially interested in the phenomena related to production of nanocrystals and ultra-thin films of less than 100 nm thick made of them. Cellulose crystal films are hygroscopic or water-absorbing, but individual crystals do not dissolve or not even swell in water.  For this reason, it is possible to use them in, for example, humidity sensors.

"We produce the films by using a spin-coating method, in which nanocrystals mixed with water are pipetted into a rotating substrate. During the rotation, the solvent evaporates, leaving thin nanocrystal films on the surface of the substrate. With this method, many films on top of each other can be produced. For example, we have investigated layered structures in which very thin amorphous cellulose layers alternate with nanocrystal layers."

The electronic industry uses thin polymer layers in organic transistors and non-reflecting surfaces, for example. Currently these films are made of synthetic polymers, but there is demand for cellulose-based films.

Composite materials honoured

In addition to thin films, nanocellulose can be used, among other things, for the production of various composite materials. By adding, for example, non-organic nanoparticles, electrically conductive polymers or some other natural polymer such as starch among the mixture, the properties can be regulated and material that is of desired durability, flexibility, conducting or insulating can be obtained.

Negatively charged sulphate groups, which are residues from the sulphuric acid treatment in the production phase, are left on the surface of cellulose nanocrystals. These groups prevent crystals from aggregating, but make the mixing of the material to non-polar substances difficult.  Olli Ikkala's group has polymerized polyacrylic acid on the surface of nanocrystals produced by Kontturi.  These kinds of modified crystals are easier to mix with many other polymers.

"The smaller the structural parts we can influence, the more efficiently and controllably we can tailor the properties of a substance", Kontturi points out. Small structures are investigated with big devices. The x-ray diffraction and neutron reflectance of Kontturi's films that contain nanocrystals have been studied in cooperation with Professor Ritva Serimaa (University of Helsinki) and with the French CERMAV research institute using the particle accelerators in Hamburg and Grenoble.

Nanocellulose is a hot research topic, and publications in the field are mushrooming. Industry needs biodegradable materials based on renewable natural resources.  Finland's forest industry is undergoing a reform, and new materials based on nanocellulose would open up opportunities for new markets for it. In Otaniemi, there is, in fact, a nanocellulose centre run by UPM, Aalto University and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

There are many visions out there, but so far on the market there are no materials based on nanocellulose.  "Commercial breakthrough of a new material requires long-term and high-level basic research", one is reminded by Kontturi, who works, supported by the Aalto Starting Grant, in Professor Tapani Vuorinen's group.

More information:

Post-doctoral researcher Eero Kontturi, eero.kontturi@aalto.fi

ALD is used in electronics and semiconductor industries and new applications are found all the time. At present, only coatings of inorganic construction (such as different types of oxide and nitride coatings) are produced. Research on producing hybrid coatings (coatings containing both inorganic and organic compounds) using ALD has only been going on for a few years.

Research still in its initial stages

The first research publication on hybrid structures came out in 2007 and there are still only a handful of research teams focusing on the subject. One of them works at the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology. The team, led by Professor Maarit Karppinen, is the only one in Finland. “Hybrid coatings are interesting because with them you can combine a variety of properties contained in inorganic and organic substances,” explains Pia Sundberg, a member of the research team.

The team has produced a new type of coating using titanium tetrachloride and oxydianiline. “In theory, the coating is made of periodic titanium and dianiline layers, though in practice the layers overlap. The resulting coating is amorphous, extremely even and stable. The problem with the early hybrid coatings is that their thickness can change by as much as 20 per cent as a result of the humidity of the air,” says Sundberg, describing the results achieved.

The team is now testing the properties of the coatings. “We are studying how the properties of the coatings change when the ratios between inorganic and organic parts are changed,” Sundberg explains. She adds that inorganic substances may provide the coating with electric conductivity and mechanical and thermal stability, while organic substances may make it more flexible and easier to work on.

Future applications

Hybrid coatings are such a new thing that no practical applications have yet been developed for them. These might include sensors, catalysts, rapidly developing organic electronics and different finishing solutions.

The team has already had a joint project with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in which the aim was to improve the ability of biopolymers to act as a barrier to humidity and oxygen. “In this project, no titanium dianiline coatings were used because producing them would have required temperatures that would have been too high for biopolymers.  Instead, the biopolymer was coated with aluminium oxide and alucone. Alucone is a hybrid coating formed of trimethylaluminium and ethylene glycol in low temperatures. An article on the study is under preparation,” Sundberg says.

Despite the fact that research on the subject is still in modest scale, there is growing interest in hybrid coatings in the world.  This opens up new opportunities for ALD, including industrial applications. Aalto University has been involved in the research on hybrid coatings from the outset and is continuing its work on them.

“We are examining whether waste generated by an industry could be used as a raw material by another,” explains Professor Olli Dahl, head of the research group.  

When the waste generated by an industry as by-products are in the right form they can be reused. The Clean Technologies research group has developed symbiotic products in which a workable end result has been created by combining several types of solid process industry residues

The soil improvement pellet is one of the products developed by the Clean Technologies research group and studies are already under way to determine whether the product could have commercial applications. Such products as concrete that is slightly less strong and durable that virgin concrete but that nevertheless suits most purposes are also under development. Studies have shown that these products are technically workable and, according to life-cycle assessments, they are also extremely environmentally friendly.

Increasing the amount of solid waste helps to mitigate climate change

According to Professor Dahl, increasing the amount of solid process industry waste also helps to mitigate climate change because more thorough cleaning means that fewer substances will end up in the air and waterways. As the substances do not disappear, they can be recovered as solid residue flows. Combining solid residues generated by the process industry can result in such products as an effective forest fertiliser.

Moreover, the carbon dioxide emissions of the soil improvement pellet developed by the Clean Technologies group are also much lower than those generated by primary roducts. “When a thousand kilos of soil improvement pellets, or limestone, are produced synthetically, the carbon dioxide emissions are 12.2 GWP (kg, CO2-Eqv). For pellets made from industrial residue flows, they are only 1.6 GWP (kg, CO2-Eqv)” explains Dahl, illustrating the difference.  

Can a landfill be turned into a raw material source?

Unfortunately, not all industrial raw materials are used in end products. This means that the flows of industrial residues would be recycled and not dumped in landfills. However, Dahl emphasises that with future technologies, it may be possible to use landfills as raw material sources or mines supplying valuable substances such as nickel and copper.  

“Previously, the problem with industrial landfills was that different types of waste were not separated. Nowadays, landfills have specific sections for different waste fractions. With future technologies, it will be easier to recycle such residues lows, too.  ”

Dahl believes that in the future, there will be an enormous increase in the flows of solid industrial residues: “In the future, management of material flows will be extremely important as both the human population and living standards are increasing all the time. There are only a limited number of chemical elements on the earth and they won’t last forever. This means that we must make material flows and cycles of valuable materials more efficient.”

Comprehensive understanding of the environmental burden generated by industries

According to Dahl, it is particularly important to have comprehensive understanding of the environmental burden generated by production processes (wastewater, atmospheric emissions and solid waste) and the factors influencing it. For example, players in the forest industry are not aware of the activities of nearby metal and mining industry and vice versa. However, the aim of the Clean Technologies research group is to manage the broad field of different industries so that residue flows could be recycled and valuable natural resources could be saved. At the same time, the group is also engaged in traditional research on wastewater cleaning.

According to Dahl, wastewater can be made entirely drinkable and atmospheric emissions 100 per cent clean. However, the cleaning processes require large amounts of energy, which means that the environmental burden is simply shifted to the plant generating the electricity.

“In the future, engineers must make value decisions and decide what kind environmental burden the process is allowed to generate. Should the pollution be released into the air or waterways or dumped in landfills? The Clean Technologies research group will take a comprehensive look at the matters so that we can find the most environmentally friendly solutions,” Dahl concludes.

Further information:

Professor Olli Dahl

olli.dahl@aalto.fi

Truffles crop after using the method.	Truffle form control field.

The results showed that the treated field significantly increased the truffle crop. More than 35 truffle fruits were picked at the treated plot on 14/1/2012 by our Qatari Partners. The other truffles will be collected next week by Dr Shamekh, with the Qatari media and Qatari authorities present.

The weight of the collected truffles varied between 55 and 290 grams, whereas there were only a few truffles in the control field. The crop increased by more than fivefold in the first season after the treatment.

Our technique not only increased the crop but also increased the size and weight of the truffle fruits: the biggest one weighed 290 grams.

Aalto University and the Juva Truffle Center began a truffle research project on 15/12/2011 to conduct research that will support the development of a sustainable desert truffle agro-industry in Qatar capable of withstanding the effects of climate change. This proposed research will build on existing truffle cultivation expertise through the establishment of long-term Qatari-Finnish research collaboration. The project will last three years. The project already began during the 2011 truffle season. Between January and March of that year, truffle samples, soil samples and host plants from the natural habitats were collected for further investigation.

Truffles are locally known in Qatar as “Al-Fag’a”.  Truffles are a delicacy in Qatar as well as in many other countries; in particular, they are an important ingredient in many of favourite dishes of Qatari families. The truffles usually appear in deserts after the rainy season, between January and March. Among the various Qatari desert truffle varieties, only two kinds of truffles belong to the genus Terfezia, which is referred to locally as Ikhlasi, while the white-coloured truffles belong to the genus Tirmania, which is referred to locally as Zubaidi (Tirmania nivea).

More information:

Dr. Salem Shamekh
Aalto University
School of Chemical Technology
Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology
salem.shamekh@aalto.fi
tel. 470 22545

Nanofibrillated cellulose typically binds high amounts of water and forms gels with only a few per cent dry matter content. This characteristic has been a bottleneck for industrial-scale manufacture. In most cases, fibril cellulose films are manufactured through pressurised filtering but the gel-like nature of the material makes this route difficult. In addition, the wires and membranes used for filtering may leave a so-called “mark” on the film which has a negative impact on the evenness of the surface.

According to the method developed by VTT and Aalto University nanofibrillated cellulose films are manufactured by evenly coating fibril cellulose on plastic films so that the spreading and adhesion on the surface of the plastic can be controlled. The films are dried in a controlled manner by using a range of existing techniques. Thanks to the management of spreading, adhesion and drying, the films do not shrink and are completely even. The more fibrillated cellulose material is used, the more transparent films can be manufactured.

Several metres of fibril cellulose film have been manufactured with VTT’s pilot-scale device in Espoo. All the phases in the method can be transferred to industrial production processes. The films can be manufactured using devices that already exist in the industry, without the need for any major additional investment.  

VTT and Aalto University are applying for a patent for the production technology of NFC film. Trial runs and the related development work are performed at VTT.

The invention was implemented in the Naseva – Tailoring of Nanocellulose Structures for Industrial Applications project by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes) that is included in the Finnish Centre for Nanocellulosic Technologies project entity formed by UPM, VTT and Aalto University.

Nanofibrillated cellulose grade used was UPM Fibrilcellulose supplied by UPM.

Further information:

VTT
Tekla Tammelin, Senior Scientist
Tel. +358 20 722 4632
tekla.tammelin@vtt.fi