(3eu) Natural Polymers As the Scaffolds to Build the Next Generation of Sustainable Materials

The recent advances in biomass fractionation technologies and the emerging analytical tools, are playing an essential role for the recovery (and characterization) of large amounts of the three major polymers from biomass, referred to as: cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. These natural polymers have complex structures with unique properties and are considered as important scaffolds to build the next generation of sustainable materials.

The beauty of polysaccharides is the possibility they offer for preparing new polymers with tuned functionalities by using chemical synthesis. For example, polysaccharide derivatives can be carboxylated or decorated with quaternary ammonium functional groups, yielding polyelectrolytes or antimicrobial polymers, respectively. Another very attractive possibility, is to create covalent bonds between polysaccharides and enzymes, turning the original polysaccharides into a bioactive polymer. And because the type of enzyme ultimately determines the type of reaction that is catalyzed, by choosing different enzymes it is possible to develop an almost infinite variety of new biocatalytic materials with application in different fields such as medicine, biotechnology, fine chemistry, diagnostics, or cosmetics. Moreover, polysaccharide derived from cellulose, hemicelluloses, chitosan, or alginates have shown an enormous potential for different applications such as the interfacial modification of lignocellulosic materials (e.g., cellulose fibers, cellulose particles, nanocellulose).

During my PhD. in the Laboratory of Fibre and Cellulose Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Åbo Akademi in Finland, I focused my efforts in the recovery of hemicelluloses from wood biomass, and the utilization of xylan and cellulose derivatives (carboxymethyl xylan, xylan sulfate, quaternary ammonium xylan, azidated cellulose) for the interfacial modification of fibrous materials such as pine sulphate pulp fibers (kraft pulp). I was able to immobilize glucose oxidase enzymes onto cellulose fiber surfaces and test their activity of the immobilized enzymes, as a proof of concept that it is possible to fabricate biocatalytic fibers using a simple approach. The doctoral studies helped me to deepen my knowledge in wet chemistry and surface characterization techniques; they also provided me the opportunity to broaden my views and learn how to develop more independent research work.

After my PhD., I was invited to come to the US and worked two years as a Visiting Scholar in the Forest Products Development Center, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. In March 2020 I was promoted to Research Fellow II in the same center, under Direction of Dr. Brian Via. This period in the US has allowed me to expand my knowledge in engineered wood materials and nanocellulose applications.

My research goal is to utilize this toolbox in the valorization of under-utilized biomass to generate value and blaze new trials towards innovative solutions, using functional fibers and cellulose-derivative materials, with application for example in packaging, biotechnology, sensors, and stimuli responsive materials.

Doctoral Dissertation

Thesis title: Fibre Engineering Using Polysaccharide Derivatives

Supervisors: Prof. Pedro Fardim (Åbo Akademi, Turku, Finland), and Prof. Thomas Heinze (Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany)

ISBN 978-952-12-3630-3

Grants and Proposals in US:

(1) Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center (CARERC). June 2020-July 2021. Approved.

(2) National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Foundational and Applied Sci Prog/ Bioprocessing and Bioeng (A1531). Submitted in May 2020. Status: Pending.

Selected Publications:

(1) Lacuesta, J.; Vega Erramuspe, I. B.; Sobhana, L.; Kronlund, D.; Peltonen, J.; Gutiérrez, S.; Fardim, P. J. Renew. Mater., 2020, 8 (3), 275–287.

(2) Hornus, M. N.; Cheng, G.; Erramuspe, I. B.; Peresin, M. S.; Galagher, T.; Via, B. Wood Fiber Sci., 2020, 52 (3), 1–9.

(3) Gomez-Maldonado, D.; Vega Erramuspe, I. B.; Peresin, M. S. Bioresources, 2019, 10 (4), 10093–10160.

(4) Gomez-Maldonado, D.; Vega Erramuspe, I. B.; Filpponen, I.; Johansson, L-S..; Lombardo, S.; Zhu, J.; Thielemans, W.; Peresin, M. S. Polymers, 2019, 11, 1–19.

(5) Vega Erramuspe, I. B.; Fazeli, E.; Näreoja, T.; Trygg, J.; Hänninen, P.; Heinze, T.; Fardim, P. Biomacromolecules, 2016, 17 (10), 3188–3197.

(6) Vega, B.; Grigoray, O.; Gustafsson, J.; Fardim, P. Advances in sugar-based polymers: Xylan and its derivatives for surface modification of pulp fibres; 2016; January, 134-158.

(7) Vega, B.; Wondraczek, H.; Bretschneider, L.; Näreoja, T.; Fardim, P.; Heinze, T. Carbohydr. Polym., 2015, 132.

(8) Vega, B.; Wondraczek, H.; Zarth, C. S. P.; Heikkilä, E.; Fardim, P.; Heinze, T. Langmuir, 2013, 29 (44), 13388-13395.

(9) Vega, B.; Wondraczek, H.; Zarth, C. S. P.; Heikkilä, E.; Fardim, P.; Heinze, T. Langmuir, 2013, 29 (44).

(10) Reyes, P.; Mendonça, R. T.; Rodríguez, J.; Fardim, P.; Vega, B. J. Chil. Chem. Soc., 2013, 58 (1).

(11) Reyes, P.; Mendonça, R. T.; Aguayo, M. G.; Rodríguez, J.; Vega, B.; Fardim, P. Rev. Arvore, 2013, 37 (1).

(12) Vega, B.; Petzold-Welcke, K.; Fardim, P.; Heinze, T. Carbohydr. Polym., 2012, 89 (3).

Teaching Interests and Experience:

I am interested in teaching the students courses in the area of Biomaterials and Bioproducts, Biomass Fractionation, Wood Biomass Chemistry and Engineering, Interfacial modification. During fall 2020, I will be teaching the course BIOP 4050, Biomass Processing Chemistry (LEC 3), Course of Instruction, Subject: Biomaterials and Packaging (BIOP).

Mentoring Interests:

My interest is to focus efforts in recognizing the motivation and commitment of each individual student, and work to ensure that they develop all the necessary skills for conducting a systematic and independent research in an inspired, diverse, and creative team.