Department of Chemical Engineering - Ã…bo Akademi University (Ã…A), Finland
Description of Department of Chemical Engineering at ABO:
The Department of Chemical Engineering is a part of the Faculty of Technology, one of seven faculties at Ã…bo Akademi University. It was established already in 1920. The department has 11 laboratories, of which three are within the field of wood, pulp and paper. The department is recognized for its high-level research in process chemistry, process systems engineering and pulp and paper technology. Process chemistry focuses on the research on molecular process technology, which implies in-depth understanding of chemical processes in industrial scale, through the Ã…bo Akademi Process Chemistry Centre, a national Centre of Excellence in research appointed by the Academy of Finland for the years 2000-2011. Process systems engineering is focused on heat and mass transfer processes, fluid dynamics, process control and bioengineering. Pulp and paper technology has a strong emphasis on chemical aspects involved in fibre technology, papermaking, printing and recycling. Our master programme in Chemical Engineering is taught in English.
Description of the polysaccharide research activities:
The polysaccharide research at ABO is mainly related to wood and paper chemistry as well as fibre and cellulose technology. Main research areas:
- Chemical microscopy of wood, fibres and cellulosic materials
- Hemicelluloses and pectins in wood and fibres
- Dissolution and interactions of hemicelluloses and pectins in pulp and paper processes
- Chemical and physico-chemical characterization of hemicelluloses and pectins in different plant materials
- Surface modification of fibres and other cellulosic materials
- Specialty high value added cellulosic materials
- Valorisation of wood-derived hemicelluloses to novel biochemicals and functional and/or bioactive materials.
Main pieces of equipment:
Devices for preparation of functional fibres, cellulose particles and films
Pulp and paper pilot manufacturing and testing equipment
Chromatography (GC, HPLC, HP-SEC-MALLS), spectrometry (GC-MS, IR, Raman, NMR), imaging
(SEM-EDX, AFM, Confocal Microscopy)
Access to: XPS and ToF-SIMS
Contact: Pedro Fardim, Email: Pedro.Fardim@abo.fi
Phone: +358 (0)2 215 4126
Fax: +358 (0)2 251 7797
Address:
Porthansgatan 3
FI-20500 Turku/Ã…bo
Finland
Web site: www.abo.fi/fak/tkf