This thematic line embraces two main streams:
i) more conservative approaches, based on the traditional uses of Forest Products, mostly related to the needs and trends of the Pulp and Paper Industry, namely Kraft pulping and pulp bleaching studies, new papermaking additives, strategies, and paper-based added-value products, as well as novel cellulose derived applications, including micro and nanocelluloses; Recent but already well-developed approaches on Biorefinery concepts, including the valorization of lignocellulosic and other raw materials, wastes, and residues obtained from marine, agro-industrial, and forest resources, to obtain biofuels and added-value compounds for a wide range of applications (pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetic, food, nutraceutical, agricultural, etc.).
ii) considering the urgent transition to moving out progressively from the use of fossil fuels, the production of energy from renewable resources will be a priority area in future research, with a significant contribution to decarbonization. Thus, besides the ongoing research (e.g. biodiesel, biogas from anaerobic digestion, and bioethanol from fermentation, etc.), alternative sources of carbon must be identified and the technology developed to integrate renewable energy in chemical production at an industrial scale. In addition, green hydrogen production must also be addressed by cooperating with the main hubs at the industrial scale. In this context, in addition to the already incorporated Circular (Bio)Economy approaches, several topics have been addressed on the deconstruction and extraction of marine, agro-industrial, and forest raw materials and residues by using green processes (supercritical carbon dioxide, bio-solvents, ionic liquids, and eutectic solvents), separation processes combined with biotechnology approaches (enzymes and microorganisms), processing and process optimization, modification, and characterization of forest-, marine- and agricultural- derived products, foreseen for a wide range of applications. In line with the transition to a low-carbon society, research focusing on the use of sustainable technologies for CO2 sequestration and the production of chemicals is also considered a crucial area. Process optimization and control of biodiesel plants have also been addressed. A new generation of composite films of cellulose nanofibrils and inorganic particles (packaging and printed electronic devices), organic/inorganic cellulose-based hybrid materials for VOCs removal, and cellulose-based flocculants are specific examples of research activities.
The production of bioethanol by Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SS) of carbohydrate fraction, biofuels by thermochemical processes (pyrolysis, gasification) as well as micro and nanocelluloses for different applications are other examples of wastes/residues valorization. Globally, a contribution to transforming a fossil fuel carbon-based economy toward a sustainable economy will be a strategic objective in the short to medium term, namely towards decarbonization.