The 2013 Alf de Ruvo scholarship, worth SEK 500,000, has been awarded to Dr. Simon Utsel for his pioneering work on surface modification of cellulose-based materials. By modifying the surface properties of, or by adding new properties to, cellulose-based materials, these can be utilized more effectively in various products.
The research has provided a foundation for the future development of cellulose-based materials and fiber-reinforced composite materials and shows, for example, several methods to improve interfacial adhesion between cellulose fibers and matrix materials in composites.
Simon Utsel just commenced a six-month postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, California, in the US, where he will be a member of Professor Yu Cui’s group and perform research on new opportunities for the use of cellulose-based materials in electronic components, such as batteries, capacitors, touch screens and solar cells. The aim is to tailor the structure of the materials at a nanometer level to optimize the macroscopic properties of components.