Symposium
Symposium proposals should be submitted in English via the Conference website. You could also send the proposal (including the suggested title, a brief description, keywords and the organizers’ information including a brief biography and a recent photograph of every chair) to JRM Secretariat jrm@techscience.com
The chair will be in charge of corresponding, call for papers, instructing speakers, and will act as host and timekeeper during the session. The chair is also expected to assure speakers to present at the ICRM 2023, including payment of registration fees.
Generally, for contributed papers, each will be of a 15-minute presentation. Enough time for Q&A and discussions should be included.
The deadline for symposium proposal submission is July 31, 2023. Proposals will be reviewed and notification for acceptance will be sent in around two weeks after the form has been submitted.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact the ICRM Secretariat.
Introduction:
Resources, environment, and health are significant global challenges. The utilization of natural renewable polymers as substitutes for synthetic polymers is an inevitable trend in adhesive research. However, biomass adhesives face limitations in terms of poor water resistance, susceptibility to mold growth, and inadequate durability, which restrict their practical applications. In order to promote scientific research innovation in the field of biomass adhesives and facilitate their industrial application, this symposium intends to facilitate discussions on the fundamental theories, application technologies, and related areas of biomass adhesives. The topics include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
1.Preparation of adhesives using biomass materials such as tannins, proteins, starch, and cellulose.
2.Partial substitution of synthetic resins with biomass materials for adhesive production.
3.Preparation of synthetic resins from chemical raw materials isolated or extracted from biomass materials.
4.Enhancement and functional modification of biomass adhesives.
5.Industrial applications of biomass adhesives.
Resources, environment, and health are significant global challenges. The utilization of natural renewable polymers as substitutes for synthetic polymers is an inevitable trend in adhesive research. However, biomass adhesives face limitations in terms of poor water resistance, susceptibility to mold growth, and inadequate durability, which restrict their practical applications. In order to promote scientific research innovation in the field of biomass adhesives and facilitate their industrial application, this symposium intends to facilitate discussions on the fundamental theories, application technologies, and related areas of biomass adhesives. The topics include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
1.Preparation of adhesives using biomass materials such as tannins, proteins, starch, and cellulose.
2.Partial substitution of synthetic resins with biomass materials for adhesive production.
3.Preparation of synthetic resins from chemical raw materials isolated or extracted from biomass materials.
4.Enhancement and functional modification of biomass adhesives.
5.Industrial applications of biomass adhesives.
Keywords:
Biomass materials, adhesive, modification, application
Chairs:
Prof. Antonio Pizzi, University of Lorraine, FRANCE
A. Pizzi, is full professor of industrial chemistry at the ENSTIB, University of Lorraine. Prof. Pizzi, who holds a Dr.Chem. (Polymers, Rome, Italy), a Ph.D.(Organic Chemistry, South Africa) and a D.Sc.(Wood Chemistry, South Africa), is the author of more than 1000 research and technical articles, patents, contract reports and international conference papers as well as 10 books on adhesion and adhesives published in New York. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious international prizes for new industrial developments in his fields of specialization such as, among others the Descartes Prize of the European Commission (UK), the Schweighofer Prize for Wood Research Innovation (Austria), the Gold Medal from the Academie de l'Agriculture de France (France) and the Wake Memorial Medal of the Society for Adhesion and Adhesives (UK). His best-known area of specialization is on wood and fiber glueing and wood adhesives chemistry, formulation and application, in particular in bioadhesives and their application to composite products based on natural materials.
Prof. Qiang Gao, Beijing Forestry University, CHINA
Dr. Qiang Gao earned his Ph.D. in 2012 from Beijing Forestry University, China. Subsequently, he joined the faculty at the same university as a lecturer and was later promoted to the position of professor in 2018. In 2010-2011, he was awarded a scholarship to pursue a joint Ph.D. program at Mississippi State University (MSU) where he worked with Professor Sheldon Shi. Dr. Gao has received numerous accolades for his research, including the first-place award for the student poster competition at the Annual Convention, Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) in 2011 and the national distinguished young scholar award in China in 2017. His research area includes biomass wood adhesive and new wood-based composites, which has been supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, including the special funding for outstanding young scholar, which amounted to 1.3 million. Dr. Gao's research has resulted in over 150 research articles published in high-impact journals such as AFM, ACS Nano, and CEJ, as well as three books and more than 30 invention patents. Some of his patented technologies have already been industrialized. His contributions to the field have earned him the First Prize of The Scientific Research Excellent Achievement Award for Technology Invention in Higher Education Institutions (4/6) and the First Prize of Liang Xi Forestry Science and Technology Award for Technology Invention (3/6), among others.
Prof. Xiaojian Zhou, Southwest Forestry University, CHINA
Dr. Xiaojian Zhou received his Ph.D. on Wood and Fiber Science from University of Lorraine in France, 2013. then joined Luleå University of Technology in Sweden, as a post-doctoral fellow. He is serving as professor at Southwest Forestry University in China now. Dr. Zhou is experienced in the processing and evaluation of bio-based resin adhesives and composites, his research has been supported by the EU, NSFC, and the local government and societies. He has published more then 100 peer-reviewed articles and professional conference proceedings, 6 domestic and international books including chapters, served as reviewer for multiply international journals, obtained 13 authorized rights for invent patents and 3 provincial S&T awards as well as 1 national Science-Technology Progress Award as main contributors. As an outstanding youth representative, he obtained the Yunnan Provincial Youth S&T Award in 2019 and the National Forest and Grass Youth S&T Award in 2022，as well as achieved the special allowance from the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government based on the outstanding contribution.
Prof. Nairong Chen, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, CHINA
Dr. Nairong Chen earned his Ph.D. in 2014 from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China. Subsequently, he joined the faculty at the same university as a lecturer and was later promoted to the position of professor in 2022. Through a rigid academic evaluation process organized by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) in 2016, he was awarded a scholarship under the State Scholarship Fund to pursue study in the Oregon State University (OSU) as a visiting scholar for one year. His research interests in green materials, particularly in bio-based resins, wood based composites, and bio-based porous materials. Recent projects have examined the properties of soy/cottonseed-based adhesives developed for interior wood composites. Other studies have investigated the room temperature curing formaldehyde-free adhesives for construction engineering, and those for protecting environment and human beings. In his research field of bio-based adhesives and wood products, he has a good profile with 45 peer review journal publications and 16 the Chinese patents, and was awarded “2016 Excellent Youth Science of Fujian Province, China”. He has been the project manager and collaborator of several NSFC projects on his research fields.
Introduction:
Fire safety requirements on polymeric materials are currently attracting more and more attention in terms of difficulty of ignition, low heat release rate and low production of toxic gases and smoke. Over the past few decades, flame retardant technology from bio-based resources has gained increasing interests owing to increasing awareness on environmental protection and sustainable development. Bio-based halogen-free flame retardant is a hot research area nowadays as it is safe, non-toxic and sustainable flame retardant. This symposium mainly focuses on the latest advances in bio-based halogen-free flame retardant polymeric materials application. The scope of interests includes but is not limited to the following topics:
(1) Flame retardant additives derived from bio-based resources;
(2) Bio-based intrinsically flame retardant polymeric materials;
(3) Flame retardancy of bio-based or renewable polymer composites;
(4) Flame retardant polymer/natural fibers composites;
(5) Thermal degradation of bio-based or renewable polymer composites;
(6) Smoke suppression of bio-based or renewable polymer composites.
Keywords:
(1) Flame retardant additives derived from bio-based resources;
(2) Bio-based intrinsically flame retardant polymeric materials;
(3) Flame retardancy of bio-based or renewable polymer composites;
(4) Flame retardant polymer/natural fibers composites;
(5) Thermal degradation of bio-based or renewable polymer composites;
(6) Smoke suppression of bio-based or renewable polymer composites.
Keywords:
Bio-based resources, Polymeric materials, Flame retardant, Thermal degradation, Smoke suppression
Chairs:
Chairs:
Asso. Prof. Xin Wang, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), CHINA
Dr. Xin Wang is employed as an associate professor at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). He received his PhD degree in Safety Science and Engineering from the USTC in 2013. His research interests focus on synthesis and application of bio-based flame retardants and preparation of layered nanomaterials and their use in fire-safe polymer composites. To date, he has been authored or co-authored more than 180 original research papers in peer-reviewed international journals (Approx. 10,100 citations, H-index = 61, Web of Science, May 2023), 6 book chapters and 2 monographs in this field. He was also awarded the 2nd Prize of National Natural Science Award awarded by Chinese Government (2017).
Asso. Prof. Gang Tang, Anhui University of Technology (AHUT), CHINA
Dr. Xin Wang is employed as an associate professor at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). He received his PhD degree in Safety Science and Engineering from the USTC in 2013. His research interests focus on synthesis and application of bio-based flame retardants and preparation of layered nanomaterials and their use in fire-safe polymer composites. To date, he has been authored or co-authored more than 180 original research papers in peer-reviewed international journals (Approx. 10,100 citations, H-index = 61, Web of Science, May 2023), 6 book chapters and 2 monographs in this field. He was also awarded the 2nd Prize of National Natural Science Award awarded by Chinese Government (2017).
Asso. Prof. Gang Tang, Anhui University of Technology (AHUT), CHINA
Gang Tang is an Associate Professor of the Anhui University of Technology (AHUT). He completed his PhD in Safety Science and Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 2013. His research interests focus on application of solid waste resource in fire-safe composites. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 SCI-indexed papers in peer-reviewed international journals this field.
Asso. Prof. Wen-Wen Guo, Jiangnan University, CHINA
Wen-Wen Guo is an Associate Professor at the Jiangnan University. She earned her PhD in Safety Science and Engineering from USTC in 2020. Her research interests focus on synthesis of novel flame retardants from renewable resources and their application in fiber reinforced polymer composites. She has authored or co-authored more than 50 SCI-indexed papers in peer-reviewed international journals and 1 book chapters in this field, with a H-index of 24.
Introduction:
Biomass, as the sole renewable carbon resource, plays a crucial role in achieving the dual-carbon goal through its efficient utilization as energy and materials. Consequently, extensive research has been devoted to this field, leading to rapid advancements in related technologies. With their abundant natural reserves and impressive mechanical performance, biomass-derived materials have found extensive use as primary structural components and reinforcing fillers in composite applications. Notably, recent progress in renewable lignocellulosic micro- and nano-materials has created exciting possibilities for advanced applications of lignocellulosic polymer composites. These applications span a wide range of industries, including flexible electronics, automobiles, energy storage devices, sensors, hydrogels, 3D printing, food packaging, coatings, constructions, adsorption and medical materials. In this symposium, we aim to provide a platform for sharing the latest breakthroughs in biomass composite materials. Topics of discussion will encompass a broad range of subjects, including but not limited to:
- Recent advances in biomass-derived material processing, extraction and characterization in relation to applications
- Functional composites based on natural polymers
- Applications of lignocellulosic composite materials in flexible electronics, biomedical engineering and advanced energy devices
- Design of advanced wood/bamboo-based functional/intelligent composites
- Advanced Biobased Carbon Materials
- Industrial applications of biomass composites.
Keywords:
Biomass, Lignocellulosic composites, Natural polymers, Carbon materials, Applications
Chairs:
Prof. Jingquan Han, Nanjing Forestry University, CHINA
Prof. Jingquan Han received his Ph.D. in renewable natural resources from Louisiana State University (USA) in 2014. He is currently a full professor, Ph.D. supervisor and Associate Dean of College of Materials Science and Engineering at Nanjing Forestry University (China). His current research interests focus on the biomass-based polymer nanocomposite materials with sustainability, renewability, and biocompatibility, including gels, membranes, macro/nanoibers, and their advanced applications in multifunctional wearable electronic devices. He has published more than 100 papers in high-level journals with a total citation of about 6000 times and h-index of 40, including Progress in Materials Science, Advanced Materials, Chem, InfoMat, Nano Energy and so on. His has more than twenty national invention patents authorized. He has presided over more than 10 nation-level fundings/projects, including National Natural Science Foundation of China and so on.
Prof. Feng Jiang, University of British Columbia, CANADA
Prof. Feng Jiang, is an assistant professor at The University of British Columbia, and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Functional Biomaterials. He received PhD degree in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2011, and postdoc training from University of California Davis, and University of Maryland College Park. He serves as Editor of Carbohydrate Polymers and Associate Editor of Frontiers in Materials. He has received several international awards including 2023 TAPPI NanoDivision Mid-Career Award, 2023 UBC Faculty of Forestry Outstanding Research Award, the Paper360° 2022 TOP 50 POWER LIST, and 2021 ACS CELL KINGFA Young Investigator Award. His research areas focus on sustainable isolation and modification of lignocellulosic nanomaterials, as well as advanced manufacturing of bio-based products developments for emerging thermal, environmental, electrical, and energy applications. He has published over 100 high impact journal articles with a total citation of over 9000 and H-index of 45, including Chemical Reviews, Progress in Materials Science, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, ACS Nano, and Nano Energy, etc. His research has generated 4 patents, and several provisional patents, and has been reported by over 300 different media, including CBC, CTV, BNN Bloomberg, etc.
Prof. Kui Wang, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, CHINA
Prof. Kui Wang is a full professor, Ph.D. supervisor and Director of Bioenergy Research Lab. of Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, who received his Ph.D. in Forestry Environment and Energy Engineering from Chinese Academy of Forestry in 2015, and won the National Excellent Youth Science Foundation Project in 2022. He also served as secretary general of National Forestry & Grassland Bioenergy Engineering Technology Research Center. His current research interests focus on fundamental research and industrialization of bioenergy and biomaterials. Prof. Wang has published more than 60 papers and 10 authorized patents, and developed the directional liquefied technology and pilot demonstration which has been introduced and applied in Inner Mongolia, Henan, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. He has also won China Forest and Grass Youth Science & Technology Award and second-class of Liang Xi Forestry Scientific and Technological Progress Award.
Introduction:
Biomass is an abundant renewable biomaterial that is mainly composed of biopolymers of (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and secondary metabolites (phenolic compounds, terpenoids, nitrogenous compounds) in different proportions. The constituents of cellulose and hemicellulose have been widely used as the precursors to prepare bio-materials, dietary fibers, and intermediates, which can be applied in the areas of biomedical therapy, food preservation, food additives, and cosmetics. Lignin is the most naturally abundant aromatic polymer that can be used to prepare bioactive components. Due to the structural diversities of biopolymers and secondary metabolites in different biomass, seeking the appropriate isolation approaches is essential for the effective utilization of these biomass components. In addition, the modified approaches can be used for the biomass to prepare the diversified bio-materials and bio-chemicals for being applied in undiscovered bio-applications. Hence, the scope of interests includes but is not limited to the following topics:
1. New methods to prepare bio-polymers (cellulose, hemicellulose, alginate, and fucoidan) and secondary metabolites (phenolic compounds, terpenoids, nitrogenous compounds) from different biomass.
2. Environmentally friendly, sustainable, and industrialized technologies to prepare the bio-products and bio-polymers from different biomass for various application.
3. Biological and thermochemical conversion of biomass to obtain the bio-constituents and biochemical from different biomass.
4. Upgrading applications of natural bioactive compounds in biomass as medicine, functional foods, and cosmetics.
Keywords:
biomass, biorefinery, isolation and modification, biochemicals, biomaterials
Chairs:
Prof. Caoxing Huang, Nanjing Forestry University, CHINA
Prof. Caoxing Huang received his Ph.D. in 2017 from Nanjing Forestry University, China. Subsequently, he joined the faculty at the same university and promoted to the position of professor in 2023. In 2022-2023, he was awarded a scholarship from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation as Humboldt Research Fellowship at University of Göttingen where he worked with Professor Kai Zhang. His research focuses on isolating/characterizing the components from lignocellulosic materials, such as lignin and hemicellulose. In addition, he is also a specialist in the modification and application of lignin as the carrier and bioactive precursor. He has co-published over 120 peer-reviewed papers with an H-index of 42.
Prof. Zhijun Chen, Northeast Forestry University, CHINA
Prof. Zhijun Chen received Ph.D. degree in 2017 from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Germany, working on near-infrared sensitive materials under the supervision of Prof. Hans-Juergen Butt. Returned to China in 2017 and kicked off the independent research career at Northeast Forestry University as a full professor. Main research interest is photo physicochemical properties of natural sources and their value-added applications. The researches were funded by Natural Science Foundation of China and National Key Research Program.
Prof. Shenlin Huang, Nanjing Forestry University, CHINA
Shenlin Huang, Professor of Chemistry at Nanjing Forest University (China), received his Ph.D. from University of California, Santa Barbara (USA) in 2011 under the supervision of Professor Bruce H. Lipshutz. He subsequently moved to Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung (Germany) to work with Nobel Laureate Benjamin List as a postdoctoral fellow. In 2015, he began his independent career as a full professor at Nanjing Forest University (China). His research focuses on the development of new synthetic transformations for forest biomass utilization and the synthesis of control agents against plant diseases.
Introduction:
Bio-based polymer self-assembly is a spontaneous process commonly driven by non-covalent (supramolecular) interactions, which is capable of resulting in ordered structures with different morphologies and properties at multiple length scales. The non-covalent interaction is dynamic, allowing the self-assembled bio-based polymer structures to be adaptive chemically or structurally, which are important for diverse applications. However, chemical and structural inhomogeneity that is naturally encoded in the bio-based polymers often limits their self-assembly on creating complex constructs. To facilitate development and innovation of bio-based polymer self-assembly both from academic and industrial aspects, this symposium aims to initiate and inspire discussions on recent advances relating to biopolymer self-assembly into advanced structures and materials. The topics of this symposium include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
1. Processing strategies for bio-based polymers suitable for self-assembly
2. Driven forces or interactions in bio-based polymer self-assembly
3. Applications of self-assembled structures using bio-based polymers
4. Industrial opportunities of bio-based polymer self-assembly
Keywords:
Bio-based polymers, self-assembly, renewable resources, tailored architecture
Chairs:
Prof. Chaoqun Zhang, South China Agriculture University (SCAU), CHINA
Prof. Chaoqun Zhang received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering in 2014 from Iowa State University, USA. Following his Ph.D. study, he served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Sustainable Polymers at University of Minnesota from 2014 to 2015 and at Texas A&M University from 2015 to 2016 before he returned to China. His research interests are focused on plant oil-based polymers and nanocomposites, plant phenol-based thermosettings and carbohydrate-based functional materials. He has published more than 90 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and has filed more than 20 patents. He has edited two books in the field of bio-based polymers. He is the recipient of National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Distinguished Young Scholars Award of Guangdong Province and Pearl River Talent Plan.
Prof. Zhongkai Wang, Anhui Agriculture University (AAU), CHINA
Prof. Zhongkai Wang received his B.S. in Polymer Science and Engineering from Hefei University of Technology in 2009 and Ph.D. in Material and Processing Engineering from University of Science and Technology of China in 2014. After working with Dr. Chuanbing Tang as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of South Carolina, he joined the Department of Material Science and Engineering, Anhui Agriculture University as a full professor in 2016. His research interests include plant oil conversion, plant oil-based polymer materials, and biomimetic materials of spider silk. He is currently dean of school of light textile engineering and art, director of Biomass Molecular Engineering Center at AAU. His research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key R&D Program of China, and the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui, etc. At present, he has authored over 90 peer-review papers in Nature Reviews Chemistry, Nature Communications, Cell Reports Physical Science, and other journals.
Prof. Long Bai, Northeast Forestry University (NEFU), CHINA
Prof. Long Bai is currently a full professor at Northeast Forestry University (NEFU). He has received the National Young Talent Program (Overseas) in 2022. He obtained his PhD degree from NEFU at 2016 and joined Prof. Orlando Rojas’s group as a postdoctoral fellow at Aalto University and The University of British Columbia from 2017 to 2021. His research focuses on connecting fundamental and applied sciences using polysaccharides nanoparticle-based multiphase systems to facilitate the widespread implementation of sustainable materials and green processes under bioeconomy framework. He has received several fundings supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang (Excellent Young Talent Program), etc. In the past 5 years, he has authored over 40 peer-review papers in journals of Chemical Reviews, Nature Sustainability, Advanced Functional Materials, ACS Nano, etc., with a total citation of over 3500 and an H-index of 31.
Introduction:
Bio-based Nanomaterials, such as nanocellulose, nanochitin, and nanosilk, are novel nanomaterials synthesized by organisms. Owing to the intrinsic nanofiber structure and the advantageous mechanical, thermal, and optical properties, bio-based nanomaterials have become star materials in recent material science fields. Various nanofibrillaltion, modification and assemble strategies were developed for extracting nanomaterials from renewable materials, adjusting the bio-based nanomaterial surface physical/chemistry properties, and constructing advanced functional materials/devices. The section focuses on recent progress and research studies of bio-based nanomaterials related to bio-based nanomaterial fabrication, modification, nanomaterial-derived functional materials and the application of bio-based nanomaterials and their-derived materials in various fields. The topics include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
● Bio-based nanomaterial fabrication (nanocellulose, nanochitin and nanosilk)
● Simulation and characterization
● Modification
● Films/nanopapers
● Foams/aerogels
● Application of bio-based nanomaterialsKeywords:
Nanocellulose, Nanochitin, Nanosilk, Modification, Nanopapers, Aerogels
Chairs:
Prof. Yan Yu, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, CHINA
Prof. Yan Yu is currently a professor at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. He received his PhD degree from Chinese Academy of Forestry in 2003. His research mainly focuses on the structure, properties and utilization of lignocellulosic biomass, including structure-properties relationship of plant cell wall, wood/bamboo based functional materials, bamboo fiber composites and nanocellulose. He has published more than 80 peer-review papers in SCI journals such as Carbohydrate Polymers, Biomacromoleculars, and ACS Applied Materials and Interface. He has received more than 10 grant funds supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Ministry of Finance of China, etc. He is now the Vice Chairman of Wood Science Branch of China Forestry Society, the Vice Chairman of Basic Standard Branch of China Wood Standardization Technical Commission, the Standing Director of Biomass Materials Branch of Chinese Society of Forestry.
Prof. Shengjie Ling, Shanghai Tech University, CHINA
Shengjie Ling is an assistant professor and Principal Investigator in the School of Physical Science and Technology at ShanghaiTech University. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2014 from Fudan University and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, as a joint Ph.D. student. Prior to joining ShanghaiTech University, he worked as a postdoctoral associate at MIT and Tufts University from 2014 to 2017. His research focuses on basic research, application development, and industrial transformation of natural polymers. As the first/corresponding author, he has published over 120 papers in academic journals such as Nature Reviews Materials, Chemical Reviews, Nature Communications, Science Advances, and Advanced Materials. He has also served as a youth editorial board member for ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, Journal of Renewable Materials, Journal of Forestry Engineering, Materials Futures, and Nano-Micro Letters. He served as the Editor-in-Chief for a monograph on Fibrous Proteins. He was selected for the 2022 “Top 2% Top Scientists in the World Annual Scientific Influence Ranking List.”
Prof. Chunyu Chang, Wuhan University, CHINA
Dr. Chunyu Chang is currently a professor of polymer science in Wuhan University. In 2011, he received his Ph.D from Wuhan University for work done in Prof. Lina Zhang’s laboratory on the design and synthesis of cellulose hydrogels. He was awarded a JSPS postdoctoral fellowship in Kyoto University under supervision of Prof. Yoshiyuki Nishio from 2011 to 2013. After that, he worked in Wuhan University as an associate professor, and was promoted to full professor in 2021. His research interests include: (1) natural polymer-based hydrogels, (2) functional materials from cellulose nanocrystals, and (3) silk fibroin-based materials. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers with an h-index of 40, which have received more than 6000 citations.
Prof. Wenshuai Chen, Northeast Forestry University, CHINA
Wenshuai Chen is a professor in the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Northeast Forestry University. He received his B.Sc. degree (2008) and Ph.D. degree (2013) in wood science and technology from Northeast Forestry University. His research interests include wood physics, bio-nanocomposites, nanocellulose, aerogels/foams, and the development of wood-based materials and functional systems for energy and environmental sciences.
Introduction:
Wood, bamboo, and straw are green and renewable biomass resources with abundant reserves. They have a finely graded porous structure, excellent mechanical properties, and abundant active sites, which make them promising for advanced functional materials in various fields. The development of advanced functional materials using biomass resources has significant strategic and practical significance in supporting the national "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" strategy, promoting rural revitalization and green development, and achieving high value-added utilization of biomass resources. Currently, advanced functional materials derived from biomass, such as those used in energy storage, catalysis, photoelectric sensing, and high-transparency applications, have been widely developed. However, there are still bottlenecks, such as the unclear relationship between material functionality and structure, incomplete key technologies for functional regulation, insufficient exploration of frontier applications, and lack of significant industrial-scale applications. Therefore, this forum aims to exchange and discuss the latest achievements in the development of advanced functional materials and frontier interdisciplinary applications using biomass resources such as wood, bamboo, and straw, as well as their supramolecular units like cellulose and lignin. The goal is to better promote scientific research and innovation in the field of biomass advanced functional materials and to foster the cultivation and development of emerging biomass materials industries. The scope of this session includes, but is not limited to, the following topics of interest.
- Biomass ultrastructure interpretation and regulation
- Green extraction and assembly of biomass macromolecules
- Fundamental research and innovative design of biomass advanced functional materials
- Quantum computation and molecular simulation of biomass advanced functional materials
- Development and application of biomass in advanced functional areas such as green energy storage, clean catalysis, selective transparency, intelligent responsiveness, thermal management, and drug release
- Development and utilization of supramolecular-based advanced functional materials derived from cellulose, lignin, and other biomass components
- Bottlenecks and strategies for the industrialization of biomass advanced functional materials
Keywords:
Biomass resources, advanced functional materials, structure-function relationship, frontier interdisciplinary applications.
Chairs:
Prof. Yan Qing, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, CHINA
Professor. Yan Qing is currently the Vice Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Central South University of Forestry and Technology. He has been engaged in research in the fields of wood science and advanced functional biomaterials for many years, and has led more than 10 research projects, including the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has published over 100 high-quality papers in well-known domestic and international journals such as Advanced Materials and Advanced Functional Materials, and has authored or co-authored 3 academic monographs. He is also the first inventor of 22 granted national invention patents. He has received 7 scientific research awards, including the second prize of National Scientific and Technological Progress Award, Hunan Provincial Scientific and Technological Innovation Team Award, and the first prize of Hunan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award. He has been selected for innovative talent cultivation projects such as the National Young Talents Support Plan and the Innovative Talents Training Program for Science and Technology in Hunan Province. In 2019, he received funding from the Outstanding Youth Foundation of National Natural Science Foundation.
Prof. Qingfeng Sun, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, CHINA
Professor. Qingfeng Sun is currently the Dean of the College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering at Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, and the Executive Deputy Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Wood Biomass. He has long been committed to research in the fields of wood-inspired intelligent science and high-value utilization of biomass resources. He has been selected as the specially-appointed professor for national high-level talent programs, the "Qianjiang Scholar" specially-appointed professor in Zhejiang Province, and the young academic leader in Zhejiang Province's higher education system. In recent years, he has led more than 10 research projects, including the National Key Research and Development Program of China, and the Outstanding Youth Fund of Zhejiang Province. He has published over 150 related papers in influential academic journals such as Energy & Environmental Science, Advanced Functional Materials, and ACS Nano. He has also authored four monographs published by the Science Press and has been granted 31 Chinese invention patents and 6 US invention patents. He has received 7 scientific and technological awards, including the 17th China Youth Science and Technology Award, the Ministry of Education's Technology Invention Award, and the Liang Xi Forestry Science and Technology Award.
Prof. Chaoji Chen, Wuhan University, CHINA
Dr. Chaoji Chen is a professor, doctoral supervisor, and a national high-level young talent at Wuhan University. He specializes in the design, functionalization, and high-value utilization of biomass materials at multiple scales. He is dedicated to using natural materials to address the material-energy-environment challenges faced by sustainable development. He has published over 100 academic papers in journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Reviews Materials, and Nature Sustainability, with a total citation count of over 22,000 and an H-index of 81. He has received honors including"Highly Cited Researcher" (Materials Science) by Clarivate Analytics, "35 Innovators Under 35" by MIT Technology Review Asia-Pacific, "China's Rising Star in Science and Technology" by China Science News, "Young Orange Award" by Alibaba DAMO Academy, and "R&D 100 Awards." He serves as an editor/young editor for journals such as The Innovation, SusMat, Environmental Science & Ecotechnology, Batteries, and Molecules, as well as a committee member of the Cellulose Professional Committee of the Chinese Chemical Society.
Introduction:
In the context of increasingly scarce global petrochemical resources and worsening environmental issues such as climate change, most countries around the world are gradually shifting their economic development focus from relying on fossil fuels to relying mainly on biomass energy for sustainable development. To achieve this goal, they have started researching various biomass based chemicals and macromolecules. Biomass is a renewable resource with abundant sources, and the full utilization of biomass to synthesize various fine chemicals and macromolecules is currently a hot research and development topic. This forum mainly focuses on the latest research progress of bio-based chemicals and macromolecules. Using biomass such as starch, sugar, cellulose, oil, lignin, chitin, cashew phenol, rosin acid, turpentine, furan, fatty acids, plant tannins, etc. as raw materials to synthesis various fine chemicals and macromolecules. At this seminar, we aim to provide a platform for sharing the latest breakthroughs in bio-based chemicals and macromolecules. The discussion topics will cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
1. Bio-based additives include plasticizers, flame retardants, lubricants, antioxidants, tougheners, heat stabilizers, surfactants, curing agents, etc.
2. Bio-based feed additives, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, insect repellents, leather tanning agents, mosquito repellents, food additives, paint removers, gel removers, and pesticide diluents, etc.
3. Bio-based macromolecules that can be recycled mainly include macromolecules containing reversible chemical bonds. Under external stimuli, dynamic bonds can achieve dissociation association, thus possessing functions such as self-healing, recyclability, reprocessing, solid-state plasticization, and stimulus response.
4. Bio-based high-performance macromolecules, including high temperature resistance, high strength, high modulus, flame retardancy, degradability, and functional fiber polymers, as well as photosensitive, conductive, hydrophobic, oil absorbing, energy storage, and optical, magnetic, pH value, pressure sensing macromolecules.
Keywords:
Bio-based chemicals; Bio-based macromolecules; Recyclable bio-based macromolecules; Efficient conversion of biomass resources
Chairs:
Prof. Shujun Li, Northeast Forestry University, CHINA
Shujun Li is a Tier 2 professor, associate dean of the College of Material Sciences and Engineering, and the leader of the discipline of Forest Chemical Processing & Engineering at Northeast Forestry University. She was selected as one of Outstanding Talents in the New Century of Ministry of Education, Science & Technology Innovation Leader Talents of National Forestry and Grassland Administration. She was granted Heilongjiang Provincial Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. Over the past 20 years, she has focused on the scientific research on the chemical transformation and utilization of wood components. She has won numerous awards for her research excellence, including 1 National Technological Invention 2nd Award, 3 of 1st awards and 5 of 2nd awards at provincial and ministerial level.
Prof. Chuanling Si, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, CHINA
Chuanling Si is currently a Government Distinguished Professor at Tianjin University of Science and Technology. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2006 in field of wood chemistry from Kangwon National University, Korea. In the same year, he joined the faculty of Tianjin University of Science and Technology as an associate professor and became professor in 2011. He is a Group Leader at State Key Laboratory of Biobased Fiber Manufacturing Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper. His research focuses on the conversion of biomass to chemicals and materials including wood extractives, lignin, cellulose and its derivatives production, and biomass-based energy storage materials.
Dr. Puyou Jia, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry, CHINA
Puyou Jia is currently a associate researcher in Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry. He graduated with a doctoral degree from Beijing Forestry University in July 2016. He Joined the Institute of Forest Chemical Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences in August 2016. Dr. Puyou Jia mainly engaged in basic research on the efficient conversion of biomass resources, the application of bio based chemicals and functional polymers. He hosted 7 projects including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and received the Liang Xi Technology Invention Award, the Liang Xi Technology Progress Award, the National Business Science and Technology Progress Award. He published 160 papers including over 100 papers indexed in SCI as the first author and corresponding author. Dr. Puyou Jia has been served as a editorial board member for over 10 journals. He was selected as "Outstanding Young Innovative Talents" of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and the "Annual Influence" list of 2% of the world's top scientists in 2022.
Prof. Liang Yuan, Anhui Agricultural University, CHINA
Liang Yuan is currently a professor at the Biomass Molecular Engineering Center (BMEC) of Anhui Agricultural University (Hefei). He obtained his B.S. in Chemistry of Materials (2009) and M.S. in Polymer Science (2012) from the College of Chemistry at Nankai University. In 2016, after receiving his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Chuanbing Tang at University of South Carolina, he worked as a Senior R&D Scientist at Specialty Chemicals Department of Ingevity Corporation (USA, 2017-2020), where he developed high performance phenol-formaldehyde-free ink resins from tall oil rosin and upgraded the utilization of kraft lignin derivatives for a broader application scope. In 2020, he joined BMEC as an independent researcher with intense interest in biobased synthetic macromolecular antioxidants, recyclable and degradable polymeric materials.
Introduction:
Biosynthetic and biodegradable materials have become the most innovative solutions to major challenges, such as climate change, plastic pollution, health, resource and food security. Globally, researchers are striving to promote the integration of innovations in various fields including biotechnology and information technology. Due to the excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical strength, biosynthetic and biodegradable materials have been widely used as primary structural components and reinforcing fillers for composite. These applications have opened new avenues for industries to promote their sustainability, including medical material, automobiles, energy storage devices, sensors, hydrogels, food packaging, absorption, constructions, and biological breeding. By taking this opportunity to open a special session, experts and scholars in multidisciplinary of biology, energy, environment and chemical engineering are going to share their cutting-edge science and technologies in both academy and industry. Topics include but not limit to:
• Biosynthesis of biodegradation materials;
• Biocomputing in designing biodegradable and biosynthetic materials;
• Design and application of advanced biomaterials derived from natural polymers, such as collagen, cellulose, lignin, tannin, pectin;
• Bioplastic composite from PBAT, PLA, PHA and such biodegradable polymers;
• Biomedical application of biosynthetic/biodegradable materials;
• Industrialization of biosynthetic/biodegradable materials;
• Degradation of biosynthetic/biodegradable materials;
• Recycling of biosynthetic/biodegradable materials.Keywords:
Biomaterials, Biosynthetic, Biodegradable, Natural polymers, Recycling
Chairs:
Prof. Shangxian Xie, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, CHINA
Shangxian Xie is a full professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. Currently is the Director of Institute of Environmental Microbiology & Bioresouce Science, HUST. He received Ph.D degree from Texas A&M University, USA. His research interest focuses on microbiology, synthetic biology and biorefinery, especially focus on lignin biodegradation and valorization to multiple products for bioenergy, biomedicine and biomaterials. He has been serving as the Associate Editor for the journals including BioDesign Research, Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, Frontiers in Energy Research, and Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, and the Guest Editor for the journals including Microbial Biotechnology, Journal of Fungi, Fermentation, and Acta microbiologica Sinica.
Prof. Fei Tao, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, CHINA
Fei Tao is a Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology. With a Ph.D. in Life Science from Shandong University, he has extensive expertise in microbial synthetic biology, metabolic science, and biosensor development. His research focuses on developing innovative technologies for the production of valuable chemicals and materials through white/green bio-producing methods. Additionally, Fei Tao explores genome-scale regulation of metabolic networks and designs practical biosensors utilizing bio-molecules like regulators and GPCRs. Recently, his team made some new achievements in carbon-negative synthetic biology and successfully synthesized biodegradable plastic polylactic acid (PLA) directly from carbon dioxide.
Prof. Qiang Li, Huazhong Agricultural University, CHINA
Dr. Qiang Li is a professor in the College of Engineering and an adjunct professor in the College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), China. He received his Ph.D. of Wood Chemistry from Hokkaido University, a top-tier university in Japan in 2015. From January 2016 to April 2021, he worked as the postoc at both Texas A&M University and Northeastern University in the United States. He then worked as the Scientist-I at Texas A&M University, and joined HZAU in December 2021. Dr. Li’s research concentrated on the cell wall structure of lignocellulose and its valorization. He has been awarded the Outstanding Scientist of the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University (2017), funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and such, published over 50 peer-reviewed papers, and has been serving as the Editorial Board for Resources Chemicals and Materials.
Associated Prof. Yang Hu, Huazhong Agricultural University, CHINA
Yang Hu is an Associated Professor in the College of of Food Science and Technology at Huazhong Agricultural University, China. He received Ph.D degree from Sichuan University, China. The primary area of research that he is interested in pertains to the assembly and modification of collagen, as well as the design of biomaterials based on collagen. Furthermore, Yang Hu conducted research on a range of collagen-based biomaterials, including membranes, hydrogels, and hybrid scaffolds, with the aim of investigating their potential applications in wound healing, bone regeneration, and dural repair.
To be updated