Department of Chemistry and Materials Science

MMD FinnCERES: Energy

Projects of the Multifunctional Materials Design research group funded by FinnCERES (theme Energy)
MMD FinnCERES projects main image. Photo by Aalto University / Mithila Mohan, Maija Vaara

Highlights:

Leek-inspired surface structures (Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi). Photo by Mithila Mohan and Maija Vaara, Aalto University.

From Kitchen Garden to Multifunctionality (external link)

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?

Biodegradable solar panel shields. Photo by Anne Kinnunen

Biodegradable solar panel shields: Nature as a muse (external link)

Aalto Virtual Exhibitions | Time Out! Rethinking Construction (Designs for a Cooler Planet 2023)

nanoselluloosakalvoja

Creating solar cells and glass from wood – or a billion tons of biowaste

Researchers map out how biomass from plants could replace unrenewable resources in optical applications

News

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.

FinnCERES website

Aalto webpage about FinnCERES

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.

Project team

Yazan Al Haj, Doctoral Candidate

"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."

Conversion of biowaste into porous carbon and cellulose nanocrystals and their assembly into flexible supercapacitor. Image by Aalto University, Yazan Al Haj
Schematic figure for the conversion of biowaste into porous carbon (PC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and their assembly into flexible supercapacitor (PC//Al-CNC//PC) || Image: Aalto University, Yazan Al Haj

Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi, Doctoral Candidate

"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."

Delayed formation of ice on a hydrophobic/icephobic plant leaf. Photos by Aalto University, Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi
Delayed formation of ice on a hydrophobic/icephobic plant leaf || Photos: Aalto University, Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi

Publications

Anisotropic Superhydrophobic Properties Replicated from Leek Leaves

Seyed Mehran Mirmohammadi*, Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi, Miika Heikkilä, Sami Franssila, Jaana Vapaavuori, Ville Jokinen* 2024 Small

Edible and Biodegradable Wearable Capacitive Pressure Sensors: A Paradigm Shift toward Sustainable Electronics with Bio-Based Materials

Fevzihan Basarir, Yazan Al Haj, Fangxin Zou, Swarnalok De, An Nguyen, Alexander Frey, Ijlal Haider, Veikko Sariola, Jaana Vapaavuori 2024 Advanced Functional Materials

A facile spinning approach towards the continuous production of aligned nanocellulose films

Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi, Karl M.O. Håkansson, Tiffany Abitbol, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2024 Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

Variable-transmittance bio-based phase change composites based on the photothermal property of pectin

Yujiao Dong, Fangxin Zou*, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2024 Carbohydrate Polymers

Hydrophobized lignin nanoparticle-stabilized Pickering foams : building blocks for sustainable lightweight porous materials

Tao Zou, Erfan Kimiaei, Zahra Madani, Muzaffer A. Karaaslan, Jaana Vapaavuori, Johan Foster, Scott Renneckar, Monika Österberg* 2024 Materials Advances

Bio-inspired surface structures promote optical transmittance and hydrophobicity in cellulose-based films for self-cleaning perovskite solar cells

Hamidreza Daghigh Shirazi, Seyed Mehran Mirmohammadi, Seyede Maryam Mousavi, Magnus Markkanen, Janne Halme, Ville Jokinen, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2024 Communications Materials

Carbon Aerogels Derived from Anion-Modified Nanocellulose for Adaptive Supercapacitor Performance

Yazan Al Haj, Ahmed B. Soliman, Jaana Vapaavuori*, Mady Elbahri* 2024 Advanced Functional Materials

Processing factors affecting roughness, optical and mechanical properties of nanocellulose films for optoelectronics

Joice Jaqueline Kaschuk, Yazan Al Haj, Joaquin Valdez Garcia, Aleksi Kamppinen, Orlando J. Rojas, Tiffany Abitbol, Kati Miettunen, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2024 Carbohydrate Polymers

Bio‐Templated Silver Nanopatterns for Photothermal and Antifogging Coatings

Swarnalok De, Hoang M. Nguyen, Fangxin Zou, Fevzihan Basarir, Maryam Mousavi, Kristiina Mäkinen, Mauri A. Kostiainen*, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2024 Advanced Materials Interfaces

Potato virus A particles – A versatile material for self-assembled nanopatterned surfaces

Swarnalok De, Hoang M. Nguyen, Ville Liljeström, Kristiina Mäkinen, Mauri Kostiainen*, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2023 Virology

Waste Biomass Valorisation for the Development of Sustainable Cellulosic Aerogels and their Sound Absorption Properties

Isaac Benito-González, Jose Cucharero, Yazan Al Haj, Tuomas Hänninen, Tapio Lokki, Marta Martínez-Sanz, Amparo López-Rubio, Antonio Martínez-Abad, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2022 Advanced Sustainable Systems

Perspective about Cellulose-Based Pressure and Strain Sensors for Human Motion Detection

Fevzihan Basarir, Joice Jaqueline Kaschuk, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2022 Biosensors

Biowaste-derived electrode and electrolyte materials for flexible supercapacitors

Yazan Al Haj, Seyedabolfazl Mousavihashemi, Daria Robertson, Maryam Borghei, Timo Pääkkönen, Orlando J. Rojas, Eero Kontturi, Tanja Kallio, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2022 Chemical Engineering Journal

Tuning the Porosity, Water Interaction, and Redispersion of Nanocellulose Hydrogels by Osmotic Dehydration

Valentina Guccini*, Josphat Phiri, Jon Trifol, Ville Rissanen, Seyede Maryam Mousavi, Jaana Vapaavuori, Tekla Tammelin, Thaddeus Maloney, Eero Kontturi 2022 ACS Applied Polymer Materials

Plant-Based Structures as an Opportunity to Engineer Optical Functions in Next-Generation Light Management

Joice Jaqueline Kaschuk, Yazan Al Haj, Orlando J. Rojas, Kati Miettunen, Tiffany Abitbol, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2022 Advanced Materials

Micro- and nanocelluloses from non-wood waste sources; processes and use in industrial applications

Julius Gröndahl, Kaisa Karisalmi, Jaana Vapaavuori* 2021 Soft Matter

Past events

SMART 2024: Aug 22-23 (external link)

Sustainable Materials Research Summit - Helsinki, FINLAND

SMART 2024 Summit. Photo by Eetu Ahanen (c)

IMPACT Forum - Sustainability through innovative bio-based materials (external link)

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.

FinnCERES IMPACT Forum: Sustainability through innovative bio-based materials

FinnCERES Ecosystem Event: Bio-based materials for industrial relevance (external link)

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.

FinnCERES Ecosystem Event 2023

FinnCERES Scientific Seminar 2022: Back to Fundamentals - Fibre, Water & Interactions

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.

FinnCERES Scientific Seminar 2022

Contact information: 

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

Related content:

Multifunctional Materials Design

Group led by Professor Jaana Vapaavuori

MMD webpage main image. GIF image by Aalto University, Giulnara Launonen

FinnCERES

FinnCERES, competence center for materials bioeconomy, is a Flagship for our sustainable future.

FinnCERES Materials Cluster

World-leading research on bio-based materials continues in Finland

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.

FinnCERES logo

SUBSTAINABLE project

Multifunctional, high performance cellulose-based substrates for photovoltaics and optoelectronics

SUBSTAINABLE webpage, main image. Photo by Aalto University, Maija Vaara, Mithila Mohan
  • Published:
  • Updated: