National Research Program draws to an end

Wood goes high-tech

Nov 7, 2017 | THOMAS BERNHARD

Wood could potentially replace petrol in chemistry and concrete in construction, according to studies conducted under the National Research Programme "Resource Wood". They show how precious chemical compounds can be extracted from wood, how its usability as a building material can be improved, and how forest management can be optimsed. Empa is on board with three different projects.

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Wood is not just a conventional material, it also has great innovation potential as a high-tech component and raw material for chemistry. This is one of the conclusions of the National Research Programme "Resource Wood" (NRP 66), which is nearing its end after five years of research.

Research participating in NRP 66 have developed new construction methods and analysed forest management in Switzerland. "Analysing a natural resource such as wood requires a global and integrative approach," says Martin Riediker, president of the steering committee of NRP 66. "We were able to gain an overview of the situation and identify numerous promising ways for improving the exploitation of wood. Innovation will play a key role in this context."

Replacing petrol with wood

Organic chemistry has to come to terms with the finite nature of oil and carbon, the fossil resources on which it relies. Plant biomass is a realistic alternative, as several NRP 66 projects have shown. Research teams at EPFL, ETH Zurich and the University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) developed new procedures to transform the main components of wood - cellulose and lignin - into aromatic compounds and other intermediate products that are of importance for the chemical industry. Sviatlana Siankevich at EPFL co-founded the start-up Embion in order to turn the newly acquired knowledge into marketable products.

The projects of NRP 66 spanned the entire spectrum from basic research to application. Michael Studer from Bern University of Applied Sciences succeeded in improving fermentation processes of beech wood for the production of ethanol, a commonly used fuel. The construction of a pilot site in the canton of Jura is under discussion with an industry partner and a wood supplier. François Maréchal at EPFL developed an IT tool to establish the best layout for a bio-refinery. Relying on a numerical model, Tilman Schildhauer from the Paul Scherrer Institute was able to optimise the production of biogas.

A traditional yet innovative material

"To have a future, wood has to reinvent itself," Martin Riediker says. "It is viewed as a classy material, but we need to better exploit its innovation potential as a high-tech component." Ingo Burgert from Empa and ETH Zurich has succeeded in inserting a polymer into the cellular walls of wood to make it more water-repellent and stable for use as a building material; his co-workers have founded the start-up Swiss Wood Solutions aimed at marketing new wood-based materials. Working in the opposite direction, a project team led by Christoph Weder at the Adolphe Merkle Institute in Fribourg inserted cellulose extracted from trees into polymers with the aim of improving their mechanical properties.

Heiko Thoemen from Bern University of Applied Sciences improved manufacturing processes for layered boards in which a plastic foam is enclosed by two wooden panels, commonly used components of prefabricated flat-pack furniture. At the University of Applied Sciences for Engineering and Architecture in Fribourg, Daia Zwicky has developed a lightweight wood-concrete by partially replacing sand with sawdust.

The programme emphasised the importance of knowledge and technology transfer between research, industry and public authorities, notably by conducting 17 workshops on specific topics. The results have been impressive: intensive knowledge transfer with more than 200 external professionals, the creation of three start-ups, and numerous declarations of intent to continue collaborating in the areas of research and development.

One of the key recommendations of NRP 66 is to establish a "Biorefinery competence centre" and a "Technical centre for Swiss wood innovation". The programme also calls for the development of a Swiss bioeconomy strategy in which wood takes its deserved place.

"Exploiting forests makes sense in terms of ecology and biodiversity as it can stabilise CO2 emissions for decades and diminish the greenhouse effect," Martin Riediker says. "We have a very emotional, even intimate, relationship with wood. It is the material of which old furniture and the chalets of our childhood are made. But wood can do even more. There is a lot of know-how in the areas of construction and innovation in Switzerland. The people involved in these sectors need to collaborate closely to maximise the benefits of this natural and renewable resource."

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NFP 66 projects at Empa
  • Earthquake-resistant wooden structure for multi-storey buildings

    Earthquake hazards for building structures have become a more prominent area of focus in Switzerland in recent years and the wood construction industry also has to face up to this new situation. The project investigated the behaviour of joints and wall elements as well as a building when subjected to horizontal forces, such as those caused by earthquakes or strong winds. On the basis of the results, recommendations were made for an optimised wooden structure for multi-storey timber structures and for suitable design methods.

  • Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) in wood coatings

    Wood is a popular building material for outdoor use. The project investigated the use of nanofibrillated cellulose as a new additive for wood preservative coatings. It can play an important role here as a multifunctional component for protecting against the effects of weather and microorganisms.

  • Wood and wood-based materials with improved property profiles for timber construction

    Wood is an excellent material, but its versatile use is limited in part by adverse properties. The aim of the project was to improve wood and wood-based materials by modifying cell walls and fibre surfaces using polymer chemistry and nanotechnological processes. Such developments are beneficial to the wood construction sector..

Further information

Dr. Tanja Zimmermann
Departement Functional Materials / Direktionsmitglied
Phone +41 58 765 41 15

Prof. Dr. Ingo Burgert
Applied Wood Materials
Phone +41 58 765 4434

Dr. René Steiger
Structural Engineering
Phone +41 58 765 42 15

 


Editor / Media contact

Thomas Bernhard
Head of knowledge and technology transfer NRP 66
IC Infraconsult
Phone +41 31 359 24 24

Dr. Michael Hagmann
Empa, Communication
Phone +41 58 765 45 92



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Ressource Wood (NFP 66)

In collaboration with industry partners, forest owners and public authorities, the National Research Programme "Resource Wood" (NRP 66) aimed to generate scientific knowledge and practical solutions to optimise the exploitation and use of wood in Switzerland. The results and recommendations of NRP 66 were published in four summary reports in November 2017. The Swiss National Science Foundation conducted the programme based on a mandate from the Federal Council.


Innovation and start-ups

The research conducted under NRP 66 resulted in 227 publications, four patents and licences, more than a dozen CTI projects and three start-ups.

  • Embion (EPFL, 2016) is developing reactions aimed at transforming cellulose into an intermediate molecule for making chemical products and pharmaceuticals. www.embiontech.com
  • Swiss Wood Solutions (ETH Zurich and Empa, 2016) are developing veneers for interior decoration and musical instruments. swisswoodsolutions.ch
  • Swiss Timber Solutions (ETH Zurich, 2016) are marketing a new construction method using frames, columns and beams made of wood. swisstimbersolutions.com