Development and Utilization of Lignocellulose and Other Wood Biomass

Dear Colleagues, 

The cornerstone of the circular bioeconomy is carbon-neutral renewable bioresources for the production of bioenergy and biomaterials, which is the basis for sustainable global development. Lignocellulose is a heterogeneous, anisotropic composite material comprising cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The presence of three polymers with pronouncedly different chemical structures and properties complicates its processing. Waste wood biomass mainly represents low-value by-products and residues of industrial wood mechanical processing and forestry. For the rational and economical conversion of lignocellulose into value-added bio-products, the effective biorefinery technologies based on physico-mechanical, chemical, biochemical and thermochemical processes and appropriate engineering are developed. The growing interest is related to nanocellulosic materials, due to their useful physicochemical properties that enable their applications in various fields. The newly developed approaches in the lignocellulosic biorefinery technologies and feedstock engineering will contribute to the manifested growth of the volume of new commercialized lignocellulose-based bioproducts on the market and support the sustainable development of the economy.

This Special Issue acknowledges the most recent advances in lignocellulose biorefinery engineering, nanotechnologies, and lignocellulose-based materials in the area of composite materials, packaging, energy, and environment protection.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Biorefinery technologies for energy, chemicals and materials;
• Nanocellulose, nanotechnologies, nanomaterials and application;
• The functionalization and modification of lignocellulose;
• Lignocellulosic fillers for “green” composites and wood–plastic composites;
• Lignocellulosic materials in packaging;
• Wood biomass in particleboards, fiberboards and inorganic binder–wood composites;
• Lignocellulose as adsorbents;
• Liquid wood, liquefaction technology and application;
• Polyols from lignocellulose.

Dr. Galia Shulga
Dr. Georgeta Cazacu
Prof. Dr. Cornelia Vasile
Guest Editors

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