Lightweight materials with high strength are desirable for advanced applications in transportation, sports equipment, construction, automotive, and aerospace. Aspen is fast growing, has low flammability, and is renewable and readily available. In this study, we present a continuous, high-yielding, efficient, scalable, and sustainable approach for the fabrication of strong materials from aspen by synergistic selective chemical modification and continuous hot pressing. FTIR analysis revealed changes in the chemical composition of the wood polymers, including the introduction of anionic groups, while SEM images showed morphological and structural transformations such as smoother surfaces and a more compact wood structure. The proposed strategy achieved up to 258 MPa (530% increase) in tensile strength by combining enhanced ion-bonding and hydrogen-bonding with the alignment of cellulose nanofibrils and the solidification of softened, depolymerized lignin through cross-linking reactions. This work demonstrates the continuous large-scale production of lightweight, strong structural materials under energy-efficient and mild modification conditions, suitable for the green fabrication of next-generation advanced materials from wood. 

Packaging is omnipresent and has evolved through times reflecting the changes in society and in our lifestyles. The modern packaging industry gradually shifted its focus from a product-centred to a human-centred approach and is now starting to embrace a new era in which packaging is consid-ered from a broader perspective — a so-called life-centred design perspective. The reasons behind the constant change are many, from market demands, rapid technological devel-opment, rapid population growth, to political steering due to resource and other societal constraints. A life-centred design of packaging value cycles is one that will take into account the well-being of and interaction between all ecosystems. Answers will be discovered through an inclusive exploratory journey of how it should be done.

Due to growing concerns about the environmental impacts of fossil fuels and the capacity and resilience of energy grids around the world, engineers and policymakers are increasingly turning their attention to energy storage solutions1. In turn, the huge demand for materials for such storage systems will require a considerable energy input in extraction, processing and materials formulation, and new and sustainable electrochemical systems need to be developed2. Current report is the result of the exploration work where the circularity and environmental potentials of biobased energy storage solutions were analysed in the form of iterative interviews with stakeholders along the energy storage and packaging value chains, complemented by literature research. The work was performed within the scope of Digital Cellulose Center (DCC) research center3 in the sub-project 1 “Circularity of DCC materials” of the Theme 1: Design for a circular bioeconomy. Totally three systems were selected and analysed in the form of three respective case studies: • Case study I: Biobased battery (Chemical energy storage system) • Case study II: Biobased printed supercapacitor (Electrochemical energy storage system) • Case study III: Intelligent packaging (Chemical or electrochemical energy storage for fiber-based packaging) Each case study was put into the life cycle context where aspects such as legislation, circularity potential and potential environmental impact were discovered. The biobased battery for large-scale grid storage applications was classified as an industrial battery with collection rate requirement of 75% at end-of-life, of which 50% to be materially recycled. The biobased printed supercapacitor was classified as an electric and electronic equipment (EEE) with collection rate requirement of 65%, of which recovery and recycling / preparing for reuse targets vary between 55% - 85% depending on application. The material recycling target for the fiber-based intelligent packaging is 85% since being perceived as a paper-based packaging it would enter paper packaging recycling stream rather than entering the recycling stream of Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In next steps of this exploratory journey, the compositions of the respective energy storage solutions were identified, including biobased content and recycling potential on the short- and long-term, compared to their benchmark solutions where possible. Today, the material recycling processes for batteries and WEEE are strongly economically driven: the material components that are considered as valuable by recyclers are mainly base metals (e.g., aluminium, steel) and to low extent critical raw materials (e.g., cobalt, nickel). The biobased energy storage solutions though do not contain any critical raw materials and use base metals to a less extent. This is a dilemma where the material value of the biobased, renewable materials (more sustainable materials by origin) is not favourable in the end-of-life processes of today and therefore will be lost (i.e., incinerated). A more balanced approach to such dilemma is urged in order to facilitate both economic and environmental incentives in the energy storage value cycles. Current Battery and WEEE directives do not promote the recycling of materials that are critical or have a high environmental burden, which in practice results in loss of those materials, not least due to lack of economy in recycling processes. Moreover, the legislation needs to be adapted in order to meet innovative development in the area. It can be relevant to introduce a cross-sectoral category ‘Biobased energy storage solutions’ in the upcoming legislation with the aim to encourage use of more abundant, biobased materials and thus decouple energy storage applications from use of critical raw materials.

The society is transitioning towards a circular economy and the Digital Cellulose Center (DCC) that develops green electronics may play an important role in it. The research within the DCC focuses on the topic of digital cellulose, where cellulose is combined with electroactive material, making it possible to develop electrically active cellulose products that can communicate with the digital world while remaining sustainable. This could mean entirely new types of active packaging solutions, able to sense and adapt to their surroundings, or paper rolls able to store energy from solar cells or wind power [1]. This document offers guidance for the DCC stakeholders on the choice of sustainable materials for green electronics, focusing on the two life cycle phases of a product: • Raw materials • End-of-life Since the DCC green electronics are still in the development stage, a future scenario analysis has been applied in order to envision the possible future outcomes. The DCC green electronics have been explored in two opposite future scenarios: • Stuck in the Mud – A business-as-usual scenario, where the year 2045 is more or less the same as year 2022. • Circular Dawn – Where the circular economy has become a new normal and the whole society is thriving in a resource-efficient, circular and biobased economy. The guideline contains a sustainability checklist adapted to the needs of the DCC stakeholders for more informed decision-making and for being able to drive the development towards a circular economy, i. e. the future scenario Circular Dawn.

Most of the research institutes that during the last years merged to create RISE Research Institutes of Sweden had previously developed unique ways of delivering LCA competence, services and data to Swedish industry and public sector. Thereby RISE holds a unique position to establish itself as a leader in the LCA field, in practical application areas such as lifestyle and sustainability analyses, scenario simulation and modeling, service innovation, and policy recommendations at different system levels. To put this in effect, the competence groups of the former separate institutes need to establish synergetic collaboration and operational infrastructure of knowledge, internal standards, and data sharing, as well as concerted LCA offerings. Recognizing the general explosion of interest for environmental assessments, such as carbon footprints, from industry, public sector and consumers, RISE now focuses its capacity to manage different types and formats of life cycle data for internal use as well as for customer offerings. The goal is to increase availability of the life cycle competence connected to RISE’s technical breadth, to provide synergized competence in support of sustainable transition to industry and society. During 2020 the first step towards this goal resulted in an internal shared view of RISE’s LCA offerings and common fundamental and flexible data documentation principles for all different life cycle data within RISE’s different life cycle competence groups. This is an achievement, considering that formats for data presentations within RISE ranges from aggregated carbon footprint results of per kg of products to ILCD European Product Environmental Footprints. During 2021 the RISE effort is dedicated to formation of a solid platform for generic life cycle data sharing, through common internal data exchange formats and interfaces towards customers, as well as a long-term governance, maintenance and competence supply for the synergetic collaboration.

It has been proposed that the future of the forest industry will involve the traditional value chains combined with the needs and demands of a bio-based economy. A global consumer survey was undertaken, together with interviews and workshops with various representatives through the bio-economy. Sources also included in-depth literature studies and research reviews. Based on this input, several current trends have been identified that will affect the route towards a cellulose-based society. These trends describe the effects of urbanization, consumer behaviour, new business models, material recycling, open innovation and the necessity for early demonstration of new research. Four different but equally plausible scenarios have been identified describing the society and the role of cellulose in 2030, highlighting the role of the wood-based biorefinery.

There is a great need to maintain research for a future in which the traditional value chains of the forest industry are combined with the needs and demands of a bio-based economy. In such a future, the pulp mill biorefinery will be a crucial node. In order to map the transformation from a fossil-based society to a cellulose-based society, a global consumer survey has been made. In addition, interviews and workshops with various players throughout the bio-economy field have been accomplished. Several current trends that affect the road to a cellulose-based society have been identified. These trends are describing the effects of urbanization, consumer behaviour, new business models, material recycling, open innovation, and the need for early demonstration of new research. The trends have been combined with uncertainties into a number of plausible scenarios describing the society and the role of cellulose in the year 2030.