Portrait of the National Research Programme (NRP 66)

Resource Wood

Contents

1 EditorialResource wood: A plea for using it intelligently

3 OverviewThe raw material wood: Immensely versatile but often unrecognised

6 ResearchNRP 66 has a broad remit

28 Knowledge and technology transferDialogue and networking are success factors

30 GlossaryKey terms

31 Information

www.nrp66.ch

What is an NRP?The National Research Programmes (NRP)

contribute scientifically substantiated solutions

to urgent problems of national significance.

They are approved by the Federal Council, last

from 4 to 5 years and are funded with CHF 5

to 20 million. The NRPs are problem-oriented;

inter- and transdisciplinary; dedicated to

achieving a defined, overall goal through

co-ordination of individual research projects

and groups and focused on the knowledge

transfer of the results.

1

Editorial

Resource wood: A plea for using it intelligently

Wood accounts for around ninety per-cent of biomass worldwide and as we allknow it keeps re-growing without mucheffort on the part of humanity. This aloneshould be reason enough to re-assesswith an open mind the careless way inwhich we deal with wood in this countryand elsewhere.

Everyone talks about resource scar-city, the end of the oil age, global war-ming and greenhouse gases as the greatculprits. What is often forgotten in thesediscussions is that wood, a renewable resource with great capacities for storingcarbon dioxide, can play a key role in global resource supplies and climate po-litics, if only it were used intelligently.

But what do we mean by intelligentuse? It is too early to give a comprehen-sive answer to this question and it willprobably never be simple. It is, however,necessary to shake up the common notion that wood is best used for beamsand planks or otherwise for firewood.Module names such as “Chemicals”,”Energy”, ”Components” and ”Structuresand Buildings” show clearly that our programme aims at a broad and holisticunderstanding of wood as a resource.

The idea is that new approaches andtechnologies will lead to a more variedand, most of all, more efficient use ofwood. As a consequence, we expect morecompetition between the various uses. Dr. Martin Riediker

the forestry sector. Success will dependon whether the necessary innovation can be triggered in business and on thecreation of a framework supportive ofsustainable wood provisioning.

NRP 66 places great importance onthe implementation of solutions elaborat -ed by scientists as this is the only way to ensure value addition. In the course of the programme, researchers and theSwiss National Science Foundation willwork closely with the Commission forTechnology and Innovation CTI to turnpromising research projects into CTIprojects.

The members of the Steering Com-mittee of NRP 66 look forward to supporting scientists in their work and

2

Editorial

Forest and timber, forestry and timberindustry constitute a rather narrow fieldof vision. For this reason, NRP 66 is ad-dressing the complete life-cycle of wood,market mechanisms as well as the pro-blem of insufficient raw wood availability.The aim is to improve the management ofwood as a resource across its life cycle—from availability and use to recyclingand disposal. Ecological, economical andsocial aspects will have to be respectedand balanced in the case of conflictinginterests.

If the use of wood is to change, busi-ness and politics will have to contributein line with research. There is a realchance of improving wood-based valueaddition and the competitiveness of

to engaging in a dialogue with decision-makers in politics and business on im-proving the use of wood. I will personallyengage in supporting technology trans-fers between research and industry sothat as many research results as possibleestablish themselves in the market. Iwould like to thank everyone working towards the success of NRP 66.

Dr. Martin RiedikerPresident of the NRP 66 Steering Committee

3

Overview

The raw material wood: Immensely versatile but often unrecognisedWood was already used in prehistoric times as a raw material for generating heat and

light. Thanks to its robustness and the variety of uses to which it could be put, wood has

played a central role in mankind’s development since early antiquity. Today, scarcity of

resources and the need to protect the climate are forcing us to use wood more intelli-

gently than ever before as a renewable raw material.

The need to combat greenhouse gasesand the scarcity of fossil resources hasobliged the worlds of politics, commerceand science to focus on renewable rawmaterials such as wood. Today, in additionto reducing consumption, the increasedand more efficient use of renewable resources is considered to be a vital pre-condition for economic growth andglobal supply security.

Throughout the world, wood is one ofthe most significant renewable raw ma-terials capable of storing large quantitiesof carbon dioxide. Like other Europeancountries, Switzerland possesses verylarge reserves of wood and, despite thewide variety of uses to which it can beput, its forests are too old and underuti-lised. The potential for a wider use ofwood is certainly there in Switzerland.

However, more precisely targeted effortsare needed in order to direct more wood of the right quality to be used forthe most sustainable purposes.

Wood is a multifunctional materialand its potential as a substitute in appli-cations so far dominated by oil and other non-renewable resources is fre-quently unrecognised. Wood can, for example, serve as the raw material for

4

Overview

basic chemicals, for new synthetic materials and components and for a variety of pioneering (construction) materials. Furthermore, new nanotech-nology and macrotechnology discoveriesare opening up application areas hithertoclosed to wood. Wood also plays an im-portant role as a substitute for fossil fuels.Energy wood is mainly used in solidform (firewood, pellets, etc.); in future,wherever possible, it will be increasinglyused as a gaseous or liquid source ofenergy, thanks to appropriate conversionprocesses.

“Multiple processes” or “cascade use”will in future be the buzzwords for recovering useable materials and/orenergy from wood. The aim of all theseefforts will be to exploit the substitutionpotential of wood to the maximum by

What is needed today from the realms

of politics and science is a holistic

consideration of the resource wood.

means of appropriate processes and ap-plications. In particular, both commerceand society as a whole should from nowon be able to make better sequential useof wood (first as a material, then as asource of energy). The challenge is toreshape the traditional wood utilisationchain more efficiently and to developnew applications and ways of convertingwood. An industrial base capable of ge-nerating greater added value needs to be created, together with the capacity toexport the relevant products and the acquired expertise.

This precisely is the starting point for the National Research Programme“Resource Wood” (NRP 66). Scientistsfrom a variety of Swiss research institutes,working on interdisciplinary projects, are undertaking research over a five-year period into wood as a raw material,from the molecular level (fibre, fibrils) tothe macroscopic scale (large structures).The aim is to lay the foundations in termsof scientific and materials engineeringfor the wider use of wood, developmentof competitive technologies and improve-ment of the availability of resources inSwitzerland.

Wood has great and yet frequently

unrecognised potential as a substitute

for non-renewable resources.

5

What is needed today from the realmsof politics and science is a holistic con-sideration of the resource wood, takingall of the various components, specificsand potential for use into account, andincluding the entire materials cycle ofthis highly promising raw material. Inthis regard, NRP 66 is very similar to theEuropean Union’s research activity andresource strategies, which are also aimedat raising the profile of the wood-basedvalue chain.

6

The objective of NRP 66 is for wood tobe used in an intelligent way over its entire lifecycle. In particular, the pro-gram me aims to achieve:• a broader understanding of wood-based material flows, improvements towood supplies and decision-makingaids for authorities and for the forestryand timber industries;

• new knowledge and technologies forusing wood as a basic component in

chemical products and for manufactur-ing new composite materials;

• further technical advances in the gene-ration of power from wood and in usingit as a material for structures and buildings;

• competitiveness through increased add-ed value in wood-based industries, enhanced skills and research capacitiesin Switzerland, and a new impetus forcommercial innovation.

NRP 66 has a broad remitNRP 66 has total funding of CHF 18 million, and covers a total of 30 research projects.

These reflect the broad spectrum of new approaches to the use of wood in the chemical

industry, in materials engineering and in the construction and energy sectors. Topics

common to all the projects are research into the availability of raw wood and analysis

of wood-based material flows with a view to life cycle optimisation.

Research

7

NRP 66 focuses on six main areas of research that cover all major aspects of the wood-based value chain. Two ofthe thematic modules (M1 and M6) areconcerned with improving raw wood provisioning and with the sustainabilityof materials cycle management systems.

Research work in the four other modules(M2 to M5) concentrates on the potentialuse of wood in the production of basicchemicals, for energy, for manufacturinginnovative components and for struc-tures and buildings.

Modules of NRP 66

M1: Economic aspects / Provisioning

M6: Life-cycle assessment

M2: Chemicals

M3: Energy

M4: Components

M5: Structures

and Buildings

8

Research

NRP 66 “Resource Wood”, through its various platforms and research commu-nities, is firmly embedded within the international research landscape and itswork is co-ordinated with current EU research activity. At the same time, NRP 66recognises the special characteristics ofthe Swiss forestry and timber industriesand other domestic economic parame-ters. The knowledge transfer task will in-volve informing key players from theworlds of politics, administration andcommerce about the findings of NRP 66and helping them to create favourableconditions for the best possible sustaina-ble use of wood within their areas of responsibility.

NRP 66 aims to reinforce the added

value and competitiveness Switzerland

can gain from wood.

9

An overview of the 30 projects in NRP 66Further details of these research projects can be found at

www.nfp66.ch

Module 1: Raw wood—supply, policies and processes of provisioning

1.1 MOBSTRAT: Timber mobilisation strategies for Swiss forestsDr. Peter Brang, Swiss Federal Institute WSL, Birmensdorf

1.2 An economic analysis of Swiss wood marketsDr. Roland Olschewski, Swiss Federal Institute WSL, Birmensdorf

1.3 Understanding the wood market: between provisioning andmulti-functionalityProf. Milad Zarin-Nejadan, University of Neuchâtel

Module 2: Wood as a raw material for useful chemical substances

2.1 Breakdown of lignin for the production of aromatic compoundsProf. Philippe Corvini, University of Applied Sciences and

Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz

2.2 Concurrent transformation of wood into commodity chemicalsProf. Paul Dyson, EPF Lausanne

2.3 Combined production of fuels and chemicals from woodProf. Philipp Rudolf von Rohr, ETH Zurich

2.4 Development of artificial proteins for a better chemical use of woodProf. Florian Seebeck, University of Basel

2.5 One-stage fermentation of wood into ethanol in a membrane biofilm reactorDr. Michael Hans-Peter Studer, Bern University of Applied Sciences,

Zollikofen

2.6 Free radicals in lignin as the key to “green” chemicalsDr. Frédéric Vogel, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen

10

Research

Module 4: Wood as a material for components

4.1 Wood and engineered wood products with improved propertiesfor structuresProf. Ingo Burgert, ETH Zurich

4.2 Nanotechnology in the service of wood preservationProf. Alke Fink, University of Fribourg

4.3 New processing methods for cellulose nanocompositesProf. Christoph Weder, University of Fribourg

4.4 Cellulose nanofibrils in wood coatingsDr. Tanja Zimmermann, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials

Science and Technology (EMPA), Dübendorf

4.5 Wood surface functionalisation using photoinitiatorsProf. Hansjörg Grützmacher, ETH Zurich

4.6 Natural UV protection of wood surfaces through cellulose fibresDr. Thomas Volkmer, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biel

Module 3: Wood as a source of energy

3.1 Optimised grate furnaces for wood fuelsProf. Thomas Nussbaumer, Lucerne University of

Applied Sciences and Arts

3.2 Production of ultra-pure hydrogen from woodProf. Christoph Müller, ETH Zurich

3.3 Hot gas cleaning for highly efficient and economical energyproduction from woodDr. Serge Biollaz, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen

3.4 Synthetic natural gas from wood—How can the synthesis be optimised?Dr. Tilman J. Schildhauer, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen

11

5.4 Earthquake resistant wood structures for multi-storey buildingsDr. René Steiger, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science

and Technology (EMPA), Dübendorf

5.5 Robot-assisted assembly of complex timber structuresProf. Matthias Kohler, ETH Zurich

5.6 Wood and wood-based concrete: The building material of the future?Prof. Daia Zwicky, College of Engineering and Architecture, Fribourg

Module 6: Life-cycle assessment of wood-based material flows

6.1 Wood2CHem: A computer-aided platform for developing bio-refinery conceptsProf. François Maréchal, EPF Lausanne

6.2 Ecological use of wood resources in SwitzerlandProf. Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich

4.7 Extraction of tannins from the bark of local conifersDr. Frédéric Pichelin, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biel

4.8 Adhesive bonding in structural elements made of hardwoodProf. Peter Niemz, ETH Zurich

4.9 Ultra-light bio-based particleboard with a foam coreDr. Heiko Thoemen, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biel

Module 5: Wood-based structures and buildings

5.1 Dimensioning adhesively bonded timber jointsProf. Till Vallée, College of Engineering and Architecture, Fribourg

5.2 Innovative and reliable structures made of beech woodProf. Andrea Frangi, ETH Zurich

5.3 Acoustically optimised floor system made of hardwoodDr. Lubos Krajci, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science

and Technology (EMPA), Dübendorf

12

Research

Module 1: Raw wood—supply, policies and processesof provisioning

Reliable information about the availa-bi lity and suitability of wood resources isimportant for many NRP 66 researchareas. The intensive and sustainable useof wood relies on a fully functioning, economical supply of wood.

How to improve the availability andprovisioning of raw wood of the requiredtype and quality in Switzerland is thequestion considered in this overarchingmodule. The research results should motivate the relevant players to developnew provisioning policies to ensure amore efficient supply of wood andstrengthen the competitiveness of thetimber industry.

13

jeopardising important values such asbiodiversity or protection against naturalhazards.

Project 1.2:An economic analysis of SwisswoodmarketsGiven the competition between differentuses of wood, the crucial question is inwhat circumstances and for whom will itactually be available. The research teamled by Roland Olschewski (Swiss FederalInstitute WSL) is studying the largely unresearched behaviour of actors in theforestry sector and capturing it in anagent-based model along with the struc-ture of the wood market in various casestudy regions. This will make it possibleto identify market developments at anearly stage and assess incentive schemesaimed at improving the availability anduse of wood.

All three projects aim for an improvedunderstanding of Swiss wood marketsthrough complementary approaches thatadd scientific value.

Project 1.1:MOBSTRAT: Timber mobilisation strategiesfor Swiss forestsThere are approximately 400 million cubic metres of wood in Swiss forests, of which around five million cubic metres are used annually. How can weincrease the use of wood? What will itcost and what will it bring? In the projectof Peter Brang (Swiss Federal InstituteWSL), researchers from the natural andthe social sciences are working togetherwith representatives of the timber indus -try to find ways to increase the use ofwood. Special attention will be paid to re-ducing the high timber supplies without

Project 1.3:Understanding the wood market: betweenprovisioning and multi-functionalityWhat are the principal factors that de-ter mine the functioning and perfor man ceof the wood market? What are the si -g nifi cance and the value of the variouspublic services provided by the forest?By analysing these questions, the resear -chers attempt to develop new approachestowards a better functioning of the woodmarket. The project led by Milad Zarin-Nejadan (University of Neuchâtel) ana-lyses the supply and demand aspects ofthe wood market as a whole and in de-tail; this is done both theoretically andempirically using suitable statistical andeconometric methods.

14

Research

Module 2: Wood as a raw material for useful chemical substances

In future, particular importance will beattached to converting waste and recy-cled wood into high-grade components,for instance for the chemical and phar-maceutical industries, or for producingsynthetic materials.

The research projects in this moduleare concerned with new technologies forusing wood as a basic component in che-mical products and with developing newapplications for raw wood substancessuch as fibres and lignin derivatives. Thecentral focus of this research work is oninnovative processes for producing cellu- lose nanofibrils, extracting tannins, usingbiochemical methods to break wooddown and on research into the treatmentof lignin during the oxidation process.

15

Project 2.1:Breakdown of lignin for the production ofaromatic compoundsLignin, which together with cellulose isthe main ingredient of woody plant tissue,offers great potential for the productionof valuable chemicals. Due to the structu-ral properties of lignin, the combinationof chemical and biological transformationprocesses promises greater success thanthe processes applied so far. The researchteam of Philippe Corvini (University ofApplied Sciences and Arts NorthwesternSwitzerland) tests different combina -tions of processes in order to maximisethe yield of useful products.

Project 2.2:Concurrent transformation of wood intocommodity chemicalsPresently, very few compounds of com-mercial interest are directly accessiblefrom woody biomass using non-fermen-tive processes. The research team ofPaul Dyson (EPF Lausanne) will develophighly effective nanocatalysts and mul-tifunctional catalytic systems. Their project will potentially lead to new effi-cient routes that will be scaled-up to apilot plant.

Project 2.3:Combined production of fuels and chemicals from woodBiofuels from wood have economic andecological advantages as compared to fuels from corn starch and sugar cane.However, it is much more difficult totransform wood into biofuels as its com-

ponents—cellulose, hemicelluloses andlignin—are strongly interwoven. The research team of Philipp Rudolf von Rohr(ETH Zurich) is now searching for newways of pre-treating wood with the aimof breaking up its structure. In the ap-proach chosen, the researchers combinehot water treatment with so-called radicalscavengers.

Project 2.4:Development of artificial proteins for a better chemical use of woodWood is not easily biodegradable be-cause its elements, the lignin polymers,are chemically very stable and only theirsurface is accessible to enzymes. How do lignin degrading enzymes recognisethe surface of a substrate? How does the behaviour of these enzymes changewhen they accumulate on the surface of a substrate? Can lignin-recognising

16

Research

has the potential to produce ethanol sustainably, efficiently and decentrallyin a forested or agricultural environmentwith short transport routes for the re -quired biomass.

Project 2.6:Free radicals in lignin as the key to“green” chemicalsIn this project, Frédéric Vogel (PaulScherrer Institute) and his colleagues retrieve lignin from beech, spruce, poplar and pine using recognised chemi-cal methods and analyse its composition,structure and chemical properties, withspecial regard to free radicals. Should it be possible to influence the type andconcentration of these highly chemicallyactive molecules, this could lead to newprocedures for making “green” chemicals.

protein domains help these enzymes tobe more active? In order to answer thesequestions, the research team of FlorianSeebeck (University of Basel) will con-struct different artificial proteins andprotein complexes and characterise theirlignin degrading activity.

Project 2.5: One-stage fermentation of wood into ethanol in a membrane biofilm reactorThis project focuses on procedural improvements for the production of bio-ethanol from wood, which serves asan alternative to fossil fuels. The researchgroup of Michael Studer (Bern Universityof Applied Sciences) will try to simplifythe production of ethanol out of woodwith the help of a special reactor andsuitable microorganisms. The procedure

17

18

Research

Project 3.1:Optimised grate furnaces for wood fuelsIn this project, the research team ofThomas Nussbaumer (Lucerne Univer-sity of Applied Sciences and Arts) andtheir industry partner study options foroptimising grate furnaces for wood fuels.For this purpose, they combine a sectoralmoving grate with a modular after-bur-ning zone. Improving grate furnace tech-nology allows also for low-quality rangesof biogenous waste products to be usedwith low pollutant emissions. This in-creases the share of renewable energiesin the overall energy consumption.

Project 3.2:Production of ultra-pure hydrogen from woodHydrogen as a source of energy couldmitigate the effects of climate change as itreleases water instead of carbon dioxide

Module 3: Wood as a source of energy

There is great interest today in furtherdeveloping technologies, process chainsand systems in order to convert low-quality, waste and recycled wood intoheat, electricity or even into fuel. The important thing is to maximise efficiency,releasing as few pollutants as possibleand providing a substitute for as muchfossil fuel as possible.

The research projects in this moduleclose specific gaps in “wood-related”energy research. They are intended tohelp overcome technical barriers to the sustainable use of wood as a sourceof energy. They can also open up newavenues for the combined use of diffe-rent types of energy and for identifyingwood-based supply chains that offer the highest quality energy.

19

Institute) aims at developing hot gascleaning as a more efficient alternative tothe cold gas cleaning applied up to date.The insights expected from the experi-ments should serve as a basis for com-puter models which upscale the experi-mental data for industrial plants.

Project 3.4:Synthetic natural gas from wood— How can the synthesis be optimised?In view of the growing demand for elec-tricity and fuel, the production of bionatural gas as a fuel and combustiblemade of ligneous biomass presents aninteresting alternative to the use (com-bustion) of biomass purely as a source ofenergy. From the combustible wood gasgained from the gasification of wood, a synthetic natural gas (bio-SNG) ismade via fluid bed methanation. TilmanSchild hauer (Paul Scherrer Institute)

and his colleagues examine how thechemical reactions, the mass transferand the fluid dynamics in fluidised bedreactors mutually influence each other.

when it “burns”. However, this can onlybe achieved if hydrogen is produced efficiently and sustainably, i. e. from renewable resources. The project of Christoph Müller (ETH Zurich) focuseson an innovative process for the pro-duction of ultra-pure hydrogen fromwood. The process is based on the redoxreactions of iron oxide and could contri-bute towards reducing the Swiss trans-port and electricity sector’s dependenceon carbon-based sources of energy.

Project 3.3:Hot gas cleaning for highly efficient andeconomical energy production from woodWood gas results from the gasification ofligneous biomass. Before converting itinto a synthetic natural gas (bio-SNG),impurities such as sulphur, chlorine andalkalis need to be removed. The researchproject of Serge Biollaz (Paul Scherrer

20

Research

Project 4.1: Wood and engineered wood products withimproved properties for structuresWood and engineered wood have excel-lent properties but are not very reliable.Wood swells and shrinks, is often onlymoderately durable and always combus -tible. Moreover, the mechanical pro-perties of the fibres have too wide aspread, which makes it difficult to usethem in fibre composites. Ingo Burgert(ETH Zurich) and his team apply poly-mer chemistry and nanotechnologyprocedures in order to change cell wallsand fibre surfaces, thus improving themechanical properties of wood as abuilding material and as an input to manufacturing.

Module 4: Wood as a material for components

High hopes are placed on the develop-ment of a new generation of wood components that have special materialproperties and open up avenues for attractive manufacturing technologies.

The research projects in this modulepoint towards the many opportunitiesfor developing new types of compositematerials and hitherto unknown combi-nations of wood with other materials.For this new generation of wood com -ponents, researchers are examiningsuitable adhesive bonding, joining, pre-servation and modification processes,leading to specific functional and thusvalue-enhancing properties, but whichstill meet the requirements for cas-cade use.

21

Project 4.3: New processing methods for cellulose nanocompositesCellulose nanofibres produced fromplastics and wood have very useful me-chanical properties such as tensilestrength. However, the known processesfor producing such materials cannot be properly exploited industrially. Theresearch project by Christoph Weder(University of Fribourg) therefore aimsto develop new, scalable production methods for cellulose nanocomposites.

Project 4.4: Cellulose nanofibrils in wood coatingsWood coatings used in the exteriors ofbuildings must be sufficiently weather-proof and optically pleasing. Can cellu-lose nanofibrils—long, very thin fibresisolated from cellulose—improve themechanical properties of the coating?

Can they take on the role of a carriersubstance for selected agents? The aimof this project by Tanja Zimmermann(EMPA) is to find answers to these questions.

Project 4.5: Wood surface functionalisation using photoinitiatorsMany processes for modern, high-valueapplications of solid wood and wood particles—such as adhesive bonding,coating or compounding—depend on adefined and elevated chemical reactivityor functionality of the involved surfaces.Hansjörg Grützmacher (ETH Zurich)and his team use photoinitiators in orderto bind the superficial lignocellulose tonew functional groups which render thesurface more reactive and lend it newproperties. Such surface modifications

Project 4.2: Nanotechnology in the service of woodpreservationIn order to estimate the potential of nanotechnology for wood protection,Alke Fink (University of Fribourg) andher research team are systematicallystudying how ultra-small particles withclearly defined size and surface may affect wood. In addition, nanotoxicolo-gists will assess to what extent woodtreated with nanoparticles can be a health hazard for humans. The insightsgained could contribute to a wider useof nanotechnology-based wood protec-tion methods in the building sector.

22

Research

Project 4.7: Extraction of tannins from the bark of local conifersThere is still no suitable solution for aprofitable exploitation of the bark untilnow. The research team of Frédéric Pichelin (Bern University of AppliedSciences) will develop an extraction pro-cess for gaining tannin from the bark of local conifers. The tannins gained areto be used in low-emission adhesive sys tems for the production of wood-based materials. This will significantlyimprove the added value of the bark and enable real cascade use of woodproducts.

Project 4.8: Adhesive bonding in structural elementsmade of hardwoodWhen buildings are used in a new wayor when the heating period begins, there

is often damage to the laminated woodenbeams. This can involve wood plankssuddenly coming loose after decades(delamination) and diminishing the sup-porting capacity of the structure. Howcan adhesives and procedures be im-proved so that adhesive bonding ofhardwood is more reliable for decades tocome? The aim of this project by PeterNiemz (ETH Zurich) is to find new ans-wers to this question.

Project 4.9: Ultra-light bio-based particleboard with a foam coreDue to the rising price of raw materialsand the growing demand for flat-packfurniture, manufacturers are trying to make panel materials significantlylighter in weight. The research project of Heiko Thoemen (Bern Universityof Applied Sciences) aims at producing

are particularly important for high valuewood utilisation such as coated wood forexternal use, engineered wood productsfor timber constructions or wood-plasticcomposites.

Project 4.6: Natural UV protection of wood surfacesthrough cellulose fibresWood surfaces often become coarse anddiscoloured when exposed to sunlightand rain. What options are available forpreventing damage to wood through weathering and thus for making woodmore competitive in relation to other ma-terials for external use? Thomas Volkmer(Bern University of Applied Sciences)and his team consider various opportuni-ties to delignify the wood surface andthereby develop and stabilise a naturalprotection against the harmful effects ofultraviolet radiation.

23

a bio-based sandwich panel coveredwith layers of wood chips and containinga core of foam. The new one-stage pro-cess lowers the production costs of pa-nels compared to the usual proceduresfor the production of sandwich panels.

24

Research

25

Module 5: Wood-based structures and buildings

Using wood for energy efficient buildingsystems and for a variety of supportstructures, infrastructure elements andfurniture is the most important materialuse to which wood is put today. However,this needs to be developed further andbecome more competitive in order to assert itself more effectively in futureagainst the pre-eminence of fossil rawmaterials.

The research projects in this moduleare devoted to industrial manufacturingand construction methods, alternativejoining technologies and to improvingthe quality of structures using wood.

Project 5.1: Dimensioning adhesively bonded timber jointsModern wood architecture is developingstrongly in the direction of “free forms”for which the joints (predominantlywith mechanical elements) used todaydo not meet all relevant requirements.Bonded joints constitute a better alter-native. However, a reliable dimensioningmethod that covers all classical loadscenarios in construction work is neededso that bonded joints can be more widelyused in practice. Till Vallée (College ofEngineering and Architecture, Fribourg)and his team will revise the relevant information chain and then transfer theinsights to a design tool.

Project 5.2: Innovative and reliable structures made ofbeech woodAlthough beech wood has very goodmechanical properties, it has so far beenused primarily as energy wood. The project by Andrea Frangi (ETH Zurich)aims to develop innovative and reliablestructures of high quality out of beechwood and make them ready for use inthe practical realm. In so doing, it hopesto come close to realising the vision of a building material that is “as strong and reliable as steel and as sustainableas wood”.

Project 5.3: Acoustically optimised floor system madeof hardwoodIn multi-storey wooden buildings, noiseat low frequencies is created by walking

and jumping as well as home cinemas in flats and is often considered a disturb -ance by neighbours. In order to achievean acoustic protection that is compara-ble with the one in concrete construc-tions, the research team of Luboš Krajci(EMPA) will develop a floor constructionout of hardwood offering better acousticinsulation along with an instrument for the multidimensional optimisation of this construction.

Project 5.4: Earthquake resistant wood structures formulti-storey buildingsThe project by René Steiger (EMPA) focuses on the behaviour of joints andwall elements in multi-storey woodenstructures during earthquakes andstrong winds. The researchers developan optimised timber system by using a

26

Research

deformation based dimensioning meth-od. The results could enhance the competitiveness of wood in relation toother building materials and makemulti-storey wood structures more reli-able and economical and increase theirplanning security.

Project 5.5: Robot-assisted assembly of complex timber structuresWith the help of robots, complex timberstructures can be precisely assembledfrom basic elements while saving re-sources. At the same time, robot-assistedassembly can be used to develop alter-native construction techniques whichmay even utilise building materials ofinferior quality. Further advantages arethe possibility of integrating design andfabrication properties. The research

team of Matthias Kohler (ETH Zurich)will study the effects of digital designand fabrication processes on the struc-tural timber of the future.

Project 5.6: Wood and wood-based concrete: The building material of the future?Cement-bonded wood products are todaymainly used for non-load-bearing purpos-es, e. g. as noise or fire protection panels.However, wood-based concrete in a newmixture could also be used in ceil ings andwall elements. Daia Zwicky (College ofEngineering and Architecture, Fribourg)and his colleagues develop mixtures of lightweight concrete with differentpre-treated wood components and assesstheir suitability as load-bearing materials.Practice-oriented dimensioning ap-proaches will be derived from the results.

27

models. This is expected to produce deci-sion-making aids for the sustainablemanagement of the resource wood be-yond the lifetime of NRP 66.

Project 6.1: Wood2CHem: A computer-aided platformfor developing bio-refinery conceptsDue to the composition and complexchemical structure of wood, ligneousbiomass can be used to make a largenumber of value-added products. Theresearch project directed by FrançoisMaréchal (EPF Lausanne) aims at fur -ther developing the related bio-refineryconcept. With the help of a new com -puter-aided platform, the researcherswill evaluate the possible bio-refinerymodels and validate them in industrialcase studies.

Project 6.2: Ecological use of wood resources in SwitzerlandRising prices of resources and environ-mental problems call for an efficient useof renewable resources both for mate-rial and energetic applications. Theteam of Stefanie Hellweg (ETH Zurich)will develop a software tool which canbe used to test nascent technologies inrespect of their ecological consequences.In so doing, the researchers considerthe entire life cycle of wood: fromforestry via manufacturing and multipleuse of wood products (cascade use)through to its use as a source of energy.

Module 6:Life-cycle assessment of wood-based material flows

Today, dynamic analyses of material flowpatterns provide indispensable informa-tion for the sustainable use of resources.A comparative appraisal, for example, ofthe carbon storage and substitution po-tential of wood, if used as a chemical rawmaterial, source of energy, for wood com-ponents or as a construction material,can be extremely revealing.

Analysis of the life cycles of wood-based material flows is an overarchingmodule within NRP 66. Together with research projects from other modules,the effects of individual applications areappraised holistically using material flow

NRP 66 also aspires to provide theknow ledge gained from research to-wards improving the use of wood to theSwiss industry (SMEs and large compa-nies). NRP 66 aims to promote an ex-change of ideas between researchersand industry so as to ensure that thewood industry and other interested sec-tors obtain the benefits of knowledgeand technology transfer. The wide range

Dialogue and networking are success factorsKnowledge and technology transfer feature strongly in NRP 66, which is why the Steering

Committee places importance on each of the research teams involving partners with

practical commercial experience in their projects. At programme level, the priorities are

for researchers to network among themselves and to maintain a dialogue with important

stakeholder groups. NRP 66 also aims to make policymakers aware of the need to create

favourable conditions for using wood judiciously.

of existing platforms and transfer agen-cies should be used for this purpose.Also available to the President of NRP 66Steering Committee and to the Head ofKnowledge and Technology Transfer for NRP 66 is an Advisory Board for allmatters relating to implementation. ThisAdvisory Board includes representativesfrom key stakeholder groups concernedwith wood utilisation.

The practical relevance of the research projectsWhen the research projects were chosen,attention was paid to their implementa-tion potential and to the involvement ofcommercial partners. The research teamsare required to take account in their projects of the prospects for generatingcommercial value and of transferring any new knowledge acquired for use at theappropriate practical level. The plannedsite visits enable the research teams todiscuss specific problems regarding co-operation, implementation and commu-nication. If required, the Head of Know -ledge and Technology Transfer will assistresearchers in their networking efforts.

Close cooperation with the Swiss Innova-tion Promotion Agency CTINRP 66 is a joint programme run by theSwiss National Science Foundation and

28

Knowledge and technology transfer

the Swiss Innovation Promotion AgencyCTI. The CTI has made its services andpromotion resources for applied researchand development available to the pro-gramme. The Agency is thus making amajor contribution in this NRP to coope r -ation and knowledge transfer betweenresearchers and SMEs/industry.

In the first three years, NRP 66 willdeliberately include research projectsthat may still harbour certain risks interms of subsequent implementation.However, in the second phase, the SNSFwill only continue to subsidise projectswhich exhibit high practical applicationpotential or which have a good chance ofbeing transferred to a collaborative pro-ject with industry, financed by the CTI.

Networking between researchersNRP 66 provides researchers with a rangeof opportunities for a mutual exchange

29

aims for a dialogue with politicians andthe forestry sector about regulatory andother measures to encourage better uti-lisation of wood. NRP 66 also intends tostimulate discussion about pioneeringstrategies for woodland ownership.

of ideas. As part of NRP 66, annual pro-gramme conferences will be organisedfor researchers to present their projectsto each other and where they can dis- cuss any common elements in theirwork. Researchers can also rely on sup-port from the Head of Knowledge andTechnology Transfer whenever they wishto coordinate their activities or makecontact with important stakeholdergroups. In addition, discussions and ex-changes of views take place within each module.

Raising awareness among politicians andthe forestry sectorOne objective of knowledge and techno-logy transfer is to raise awarenessamong politicians, local authorities andnon-governmental organisations (NGOs)about all the ways in which wood can beused intelligently. In particular, NRP 66

Key terms

Glossary

30

Biomass Overall amount of all organic matter includingplants, animals, their waste and remains as well as allmaterials deriving from organic matter such as paper,cellulose, etc.Bio-refinery Industrial plant which processes biomassinto products such as food, chemicals, fuel, heat or elec-tricity.Cellulose Stabilising substance of the cell walls of higherplants. Insoluble, long polysaccharide consisting of avariety of glucose molecules. These combine to becometear-resistant and pliant fibres which ensure the tensilestrength of plant matter. Cellulose nanofibres Fibres isolated from plants (wood)or cellulose with a diameter of less than 100 nm. They im-prove the strength of polymers and the mechanical sta-bility of composite materials.Composite materialMaterial made from various bondedmaterials.DelignificationUmbrella term for biological and chemical-technical procedures to extract lignin from wood fibres.Dimensioning Mathematical process in engineering toestablish the required material properties and the opti-mum dimension of parts with regard to their load carry-ing capacity.Fermentation Transformation of organic matter in anaer -obic and aerobic conditions by micro-organisms, en- zymes or plant/animal cell cultures.

Fibre composite Composite material of great tensile andflexural strength consisting of strengthening fibres anda matrix which gives the material its look.Green chemicals Chemical materials which are to a largeextent produced from regenerative raw materials (bio-mass) and renewable resources.Hemicelluloses Important components of plant cell walls,in conjunction with cellulose and lignin. They consist ofa group of non-uniform, insoluble and short polysaccha -rides. Together with lignin they stabilise the cellulosestructure of cell walls.Lignin Integral component of the cell walls of ligneousplants. As supporting material and hardened polymer,lignin lends cell walls rigidity and compressive strength.Lignocellulose Lignocellulose, consisting of cellulose,hemicelluloses und lignin, forms the cell walls of woodyplants and lends them stability. The pliant and tear-re-sistant fibres of cellulose are permeated by the denseand rigid polymer lignin.Methanation Chemical reaction in which carbon mon-oxide (CO) or carbon dioxide are transformed into me- thane. Through methanation, gases with a high COcontent can be turned into synthetic natural gas (SNG).NanocompositeComposite material that contains particlesor structures in the nanometre range (1 nm = 10-9 m).Nanoparticles Particles with a diameter of a few nano-metres. As a rule, nanoparticles have different properties

than larger particles of the same material and have amuch larger surface area.Polymers Primarily organic compounds consisting of alarge number of small molecular units (monomers). Socalled high polymers (polymers with a large number ofjoined units) include cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin.Synthetic natural gas (SNG) Natural gas substitute pro-duced on the basis of coal or biomass via synthetic gas.Tannins Tanning agent extracted from plant parts for in-dustrial use, e.g. in bonding agents, drugs and inks.Timber mobilisation Term from forestry describing allmeasures to boost logging and the amount of commer-cially used wood.Wood gas A synthesised gas for energetic or chemicaluse gained in wood gas generators. After subsequentmethanation and processing, wood gas can be fed intothe grid as synthetic natural gas.Wood-based materials Products created by segmentingand subsequent bonding of wood (e.g. plywood, chip-board, laminated veneer lumber, fibre board).

31

Information

Schedule and organisation

2012–2015: 1st research phase

January 2012: Research work begins (1st call for proposals)

January 2012: 2nd call for proposals

March 2012: Kick-off meeting

June 2012: Research work begins (2nd call for proposals)

Summer 2013: 1st NRP 66 summer school

January 2015: Final reports of the 3-year research projects

2015–2016: 2nd research phase

Summer 2015: 2nd NRP 66 summer school

December 2016: Research projects completed

2017: Concluding events, final report

NRP 66 “Resource Wood” will run to the end of 2016 and is divided into two phases, first

of three years and then of two years. In the second phase, only those research projects

with a high potential for practical application will continue to be subsidised. The final

reports are expected in 2017.

Schedule

32

Information

ParticipantsSteering CommitteeDr. Martin RiedikerPresident, CH

Prof. Charlotte BengtssonSP Trätek, “Wood Techno-logy and wood in con-struction”, SP TechnicalResearch Institute of Sweden, Borås, S

Prof. Alain DufresneSchool of Paper Science,Print Media and Biomate-rials, PAGORA, GrenobleInstitute of Technology,Grenoble, F

Prof. Birgit KammInstitute for Bioactive Polymer Systems Re-search, Teltow, D

Dr. Jakob RhynerUnited Nations University(UNU), Bonn; Vice Rectorin Europe (UNU-ViE) and Director of the UNUInstitute for Environmentand Human Security(UNU-EHS), D

Prof. Liselotte SchebekIndustrial Material Cycles,Technical University ofDarmstadt and Institutefor Technology Assessmentand Systems Analysis,Karlsruhe Institute ofTechnology, D

Prof. Alfred TeischingerInstitute of Wood Scienceand Technology, Univer-sity of Natural Resourcesand Life Sciences, Vienna, A

Prof. Philippe ThalmannResearch Group for Eco-nomics and EnvironmentalManagement, EPF Lausanne, CH

Delegate of Division IV of the National ResearchCouncilProf. Nina BuchmannInstitute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, CH

Representative of the Federal AdministrationRolf ManserHead of the Forestry Division, Federal Office for the Environment FOEN,Berne, CH

Programme CoordinatorDr. Barbara FlückigerSchwarzenbachSwiss National ScienceFoundation SNSFWildhainweg 3CH–3001 BerneP: +41 (0)31 308 22 22M: nrp66@snf.ch

Head of Knowledge andTechnology TransferThomas BernhardIC Infraconsult AGEigerstrasse 60CH–3007 BerneP: +41(0)31 359 24 24M: icag@infraconsult.ch

July 2012

EditorNational Research Programme NRP 66

Swiss National Science FoundationWildhainweg 3Postfach 8232CH–3001 Bern

Editorial staffThomas Bernhard, Krisztina Beer-Tóth (IC Infraconsult),Regine Duda (SNSF)

Designgrafik design meili, Wetzikon

Photos ©Cover, see (from l. to r.) pages 17, 18, 24, 5, 20, 23, 12 and 17Page 5, Twellmann, Münsingen/LIGNUM;

Victor Zastol’skiy, FotoliaPage 6, Michael Neuhauß, FotoliaPage 8, Bauwerk Parquet, St. Margrethen/LIGNUM; Renggli, Sursee/LIGNUMPage 12, Meuter, Zurich/LIGNUM; Architektur und

Baumanagement Ltd., Dallenwil/LIGNUMPage 14, Niemz, ETH Zurich/LIGNUMPage 17, American Society of Plant Biologists;

Niemz, ETH Zurich/LIGNUMPage 18, Kang, CHIP FotoweltPage 20, Grützmacher, ETH ZurichPage 23, UPM Helsinki; POST/LIGNUMPage 24, Corinne Cuendet, Clarens/LIGNUM;

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., Stans/LIGNUM

The Swiss National Science FoundationThe Swiss National Science Foundation(SNSF) is Switzerland’s leading provi-der of scientific research funding. Com-missioned by the federal government, itsupports research work in all academicfields, from philosophy and nanoscienceto biology and medicine.

The focus of its activities is the scientificendorsement of projects submitted byresearchers. Each year, approximately3,000 projects and 7,000 researchers arefunded by the SNSF with an annual to-tal amount of around CHF 700 million.

Copies of this brochure can be obtained from:Swiss National Science Foundation Wildhainweg 3Postfach 8232CH–3001 BernTel.: +41 (0)31 308 22 22Fax: +41 (0)31 305 29 70E-mail: nrp66@snf.ch

www.snf.chwww.nrp66.ch

www.nrp66.ch

NRP 66 in briefNRP 66 aims to develop scientific princi-ples and practical approaches for makingthe renewable resource wood more read -ily available and widely used. The pro-gramme, which is being coordinated inconjunction with the Swiss InnovationPromotion Agency CTI, has total fundingof CHF 18 million and will run until theend of 2016. Thirty research teams fromnumerous regions of Switzerland are taking part.

The objective of NRP 66The objective of NRP 66 is for wood to be used in an intelligent way over its entire lifecycle. In particular, the pro-gram me aims to achieve:• a broader understanding of wood-based material flows, improvements towood supplies and decision-makingaids for authorities and for the forestryand timber industries;

• new knowledge and technologies forusing wood as a basic component in

chemical products and for manufactur -ing new composite materials;

• further technical advances in the ge ne- ration of power from wood and inusing it as a material for structuresand buildings;

• competitiveness through increasedadd ed value in wood-based industries,enhanced skills and research capacitiesin Switzerland, and a new impetus forcommercial innovation.