Biobased Materials Structure
Research topics
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Nanoscale structural characterization of biobased materials
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Development of X-ray and neutron scattering data analysis
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Wood nanostructure and moisture interactions
News and events
- Welcome to our new postdocs Afrina Khanam and Sromona Nandi!
- Our first doctoral researcher Aleksi Zitting defended his thesis on November 15, 2024
- Group leader Paavo Penttil盲 received the Hayashi Jisuke award by The Cellulose Society of Japan, see news item
Ongoing research projects
Neural networks for X-ray scattering analysis of wood materials (NNxWOOD)
This Academy of Finland Research Fellow project (2021鈥2026) aims to develop new machine learning based methods for analysing X-ray scattering data from wood materials. A detailed picture of the structure of wood cell walls is highly desired to accelerate the development of new, sustainable applications from this abundant renewable raw material. Recently developed imaging techniques based on X-ray scattering offer unprecedented possibilities for studying the hierarchical structure of wood, but the development of new automated procedures for the data analysis is necessary.
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Automatized reconstruction of wood cell wall nanostructure from X-ray scattering patterns (WoodCensus)
This collaborative project between our group and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is funded by the Research Council of Finland for 2024鈥2026. The project develops a workflow for automatized analysis of small-angle scattering data from wood materials. The method generates three-dimensional reconstructions of the cell wall nanostructure based on scattering patterns. It aims to make the use of scattering methods more efficient, to digitalize the nanostructure of wood cell walls, and to promote the utilization of high-performance computing in the field of bio-based materials.
SmartRecovery 鈥 Scattering methods for lignin analysis
This project develops methods based on the scattering of X-rays and light to study the structure of lignin particles. Our aim is to make these methods capable of characterizing structures formed by lignin efficiently and with as simple sample preparation as possible, and to yield new fundamental information on the structure of lignin particles. The project is a collaboration with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and funded for 2023鈥2024 by Business Finland. Read more about the project on the and in a about our visit to the MAX IV synchrotron.
Related publications:
- , J. Makkonen, Master's thesis, Aalto University (2024)
Past research projects
Simulation-assisted scattering analysis of moisture-induced swelling in wood microfibril bundles (SASAMIS)
This project was a collaboration between our group and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, funded by the FinnCERES Flagship of the Research Council of Finland (2019-2023). By coupling molecular simulations with tailored scattering measurements of wood samples, we improved the resolving power of both methods and gained fundamental information on the nanoscale structure and moisture behaviour of wood. Read more on the .
Related publications
- , Zitting, A., Paajanen, A., Altgen, M., Rautkari, L., & Penttil盲, P.A., Small Structures, 5, 2400167 (2024).
- , Zitting, A., Paajanen, A., & Penttil盲, P.A., Cellulose, 30, 8107-8126 (2023).
- , Paajanen, A., Zitting, A., Rautkari, L., Ketoja, J.A., & Penttil盲, P.A., Nano Letters 22, 5143-5150 (2022).
- , Zitting, A., Paajanen, A., Rautkari, L., & Penttil盲, P.A., Cellulose 28, 10765-10776 (2021).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Paajanen, A., & Ketoja, J.A., Carbohydrate Polymers 251, 117064 (2020).
- , Doctoral thesis of Aleksi Zitting (2024)
- Blog text "A powerful combination to explain nanoscale wood-water interactions" in the and a related
Understanding the moisture behaviour of wood in nanoscale (WooD2O)
This postdoc project funded by the Academy of Finland (2018-2021) studied how the nanoscale structure of wood responds to moisture changes and how water is involved in the hierarchical structure of wood. The location of water inside of the wood cell wall and effects caused by moisture changes were studied especially using small-angle neutron and x-ray scattering.
Related publications
- , Paajanen, A., Zitting, A., Rautkari, L., Ketoja, J.A., & Penttil盲, P.A., Nano Letters 22, 5143-5150 (2022).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Zitting, A., Louren莽on, T., Altgen, M., Schweins, R., & Rautkari, L., Cellulose 28, 11231-11245 (2021).
- , Zitting, A., Paajanen, A., Rautkari, L., & Penttil盲, P.A., Cellulose 28, 10765-10776 (2021).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Paajanen, A., & Ketoja, J.A., Carbohydrate Polymers 251, 117064 (2020).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Altgen, M., Awais, M., 脰sterberg, M., Rautkari, L., & Schweins, R., Scientific Reports 10, 20844 (2020).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Altgen, M., Carl, N., van der Linden, P., Morfin, I., 脰sterberg, M., Schweins, R., & Rautkari, L., Cellulose 27, 71-87 (2020).
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Comprehensive characterization of wood structure from nano- to mesoscale using small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering
This postdoc project, mainly funded by Emil Aaltonen foundation (2017-2018), developed small-angle scattering data analysis for wood samples. It resulted in the freely-available , which can be used to analyse small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS, SAXS) data from wood.
Related publications
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Rautkari, L., 脰sterberg, M., & Schweins, R., Journal of Applied Crystallography 52, 369-377 (2019).
- , Penttil盲, P.A., Altgen, M., Awais, M., 脰sterberg, M., Rautkari, L., & Schweins, R., Scientific Reports 10, 20844 (2020)
Members
Academy of Finland Research Fellow Paavo Penttil盲
Dr. Penttil盲 graduated with a PhD from the University of Helsinki, Department of Physics in 2013, with a specialization in X-ray and neutron scattering. After spending in total four years as a postdoc at Kyoto University (Japan) and the Institut Laue-Langevin (France), he started as a postdoc at Aalto University in 2018. The Academy of Finland granted him Postdoctoral Researcher funding for 2018-2021, and then Research Fellow funding for 2021-2026. Dr. Penttil盲 holds the Title of Docent in Experimental Materials Physics, awarded by the University of Helsinki.
Postdoctoral Researcher Patrik Ahvenainen
I studied computational and materials physics at the University of Helsinki, Department of Physics. I received my doctoral degree in 2016, focusing on studying wood and other plant materials with X-ray methods. After graduating, I received a two-year post-doctoral research grant from Kone Foundation for studying wood used in electric guitars. Before joining Aalto, I worked three years as a 3D Imaging Specialist at Planmeca where I developed algorithms for 3D reconstruction and image processing for dental and medical imaging devices. I joined Paavo Penttil盲's research group in September of 2022 to continue my research on wood and other lignocellulosic materials.
Postdoctoral Researcher Afrina Khanam
I graduated with a Master鈥檚 degree in Nuclear and Particle Physics from the University of Jyv盲skyl盲 in the year 2017. My Master鈥檚 thesis was focused on analyzing Nuclear Astrophysical phenomena utilizing DigiDAC system and Cyclotron facilities at IGISOL. I earned a PhD in 2023 from the Department of Applied Physics at Aalto University. My Doctoral research was concentrated on the point defect analysis of group IV and compound thin-film nano-semiconductor materials applying positron annihilation spectroscopy technique. In November 2024, I joined the Biobased Material Structure group, where my current research involves sample preparation and synchrotron experiments of the NNxWOOD project that deals with analyzing tissue-specific nanostructures of wood cell walls. Additionally, I am engaged in the CELNAS project to study the degradation of fabrics employing SAXS and WAXS measurements.
Doctoral Candidate Enriqueta Noriega Benitez
I studied space physics, including solar particle detection and simulations of such particles, at the University of Turku, where I received my Master's degree in Chemical and Physical Sciences in 2021. In February of 2022, I joined Paavo Penttil盲鈥檚 research group at Aalto University in which we probe the structure of bio-based materials, chiefly wood, through the use of X-ray scattering techniques and machine learning algorithms. Currently, my work in the NNxWOOD project focusses on processing X-ray scattering data with an AI-based approach to analyze the nanostructure of wood.
Doctoral Candidate Cui Yin
I graduated with a Master's degree in Physical Chemistry from China University of Mining and Technology, where I specialized in chemical reaction kinetics. In August 2024, I began my research as a doctoral candidate in the Biobased Materials Structure group. My project focuses on small-angle scattering analysis of cellulose fibers and their interactions with moisture. I am conducting specific analyses of the scattering contributions from different structural components in pulp fibers and developing methods to interpret small-angle scattering data from these cellulosic materials.
Former group members
Aleksi Zitting (doctoral researcher 2019-2024, currently at Chalmers University of Technology)
Janita Makkonen (master's student 2024, currectly at VTT)
How to join us?
Highly motivated MSc, doctoral or postdoctoral students interested in joining the group can contact Dr. Paavo Penttil盲 (firstname.lastname@aalto.fi).
Teaching
Dr. Penttil盲 was teaching the course 鈥淴-ray scattering methods for structural analysis of bio-based materials鈥 in 2020-2024. The target of the course was to introduce doctoral and advanced Master鈥檚 students to X-ray-based structural characterization methods (both in theory and in practice) and initiate the application of these methods in the students鈥 own research. The course has been discontinued.
Related infrastructures and units
Collaborators
Our group has ongoing collaborations with researchers from Aalto University (Finland), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland), University of Helsinki (Finland), Institut Laue鈥扡angevin (France), Kyoto University (Japan), MAX IV Laboratory (Sweden), and Technical University of Munich (Germany).