Research Areas
Wood Structure, Wood Properties and Wood quality
How is the quality of wood as a renewable raw material determined by its biological, physical and chemical properties? Is it possible to deduce wood properties from the understanding of wood formation and the wood structure? How can the identification of wood species and the proof of timber origin support the protection of endangered species?
Wood in Construction and Wood Preservation
The variety and performance of modern wood constructions are considerable, but the possibilities for new construction technics and the use of high quality wood products are not utilized. Therefore, we are working on practical, economical and tailored solutions for broadening the range of timber constructions. Regarding to wood preservation, protection by design is prefered to chemical wood preservation.
Chemical feedstock, Pulp and Wood based composites
Which procedures are appropriate for production of chemical feedstock, paper and wood based composites? What kind of base chemicals can be obtained by thermal conversion of wood? How can we create products for new applications by the combination of wood with other materials? How can we produce modern wood based composites in a efficient way?
Wood and Environment
The use of wood from sustainable forests is a positive contribution to climate protection. Every cubic meter of wood deprives nearly one tonne of CO2 from the atmosphere and fixes it in form of carbon. In some cases, wood based products, like construction timber, long-lifed furniture or insulation material, save CO2 for many decades. Thereby, the positive effect of carbon storage of forests is increased by the use of wood as a building material for many years.