Harvesting solar power is a crucial element in the shift towards sustainability. However, many factors can significantly reduce the effectiveness of solar panels. One major challenge is keeping them clean, as dust and sand can build up and block sunlight over time. Could nature provide a solution for protecting solar panels?
Aalto Virtual Exhibitions | Time Out! Rethinking Construction (Designs for a Cooler Planet 2023)
Researchers map out how biomass from plants could replace unrenewable resources in optical applications
FinnCERES is a competence centre, jointly formed by Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in the area of materials bioeconomy. Its mission is to harness the natural properties of lignocellulose to create new sustainable materials.
FinnCERES programme is enabled by: Aalto University, VTT, Academy of Finland and its Flagship Programme.
The Multifunctional Materials Design group is conducting research under the FinnCERES theme 'Electronics, Optics and Energy Applications'. We aim to approach the research challenges from different angles.
"My research work focuses on the development of flexible energy storage and conversion devices using bio-based resources. I currently work on the conversion of daily biowaste, animal bones and brewery residues into more valuable materials, such as porous carbon and cellulose nanocrystals. Porous carbon will be used as an electrode material, whereas cellulose nanocrystal will be used as a host matrix for the formation of the hydrogel electrolyte for flexible supercapacitors."
"In my doctoral research, I am focusing on improving the lifetime and efficiency of solar cell substrates by means of organic light management layers. For this purpose, my work currently involves translation of leaf structures into functional hierarchical surfaces. As a result, tunable substrate surface with self-cleaning and icephobic properties can be made by combining, for instance, leaf replication, all-optical patterning of azopolymers, and coating with hydrophobic nanoparticles."
Sustainable Materials Research Summit - Helsinki, FINLAND
25 April 2024 | Hybrid event: Paasitorni, Helsinki & Online. This event, organized by the FinnCERES Flagship and Aalto Bioinnovation Center, brings together top experts to highlight the societal impact of innovative bio-based materials.
The FinnCERES Ecosystem Event of 2023 brings together top experts from both industry and academia to discuss the central questions of industrial scale applications of advanced bio-based materials.
The FinnCERES Scientific Seminar 2022 Back to Fundamentals - Fibre, Water & Interactions will explore the full potential of bio-based raw materials. This year we will focus on how to fully harness the inherent properties of all the lignocellulosic fractions to develop new bio-based and bio-inspired materials.
Accountable project leader: Prof. Jaana Vapaavuori ([email protected])
Project researchers:
Yazan Al Haj ([email protected])
Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi ([email protected])
Project page on the Research Aalto portal: FinnCERES
Group led by Professor Jaana Vapaavuori
FinnCERES, competence center for materials bioeconomy, is a Flagship for our sustainable future.
The Academy of Finland continues to support the FinnCERES materials bioeconomy Flagship with a significant funding of up to 10.7 M€ for 2022-2026. Over 6 M€ of the funding has been officially confirmed and the final grant will be announced early 2025.
Multifunctional, high performance cellulose-based substrates for photovoltaics and optoelectronics
