The Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering, which is hosted within the Department of Chemical Engineering, has a complete, controlled-conditioned, wet-test laboratory for chemically and physically evaluating pulp and paper. The center also has a pilot sized microfluidizer capable of producing both micro and nanofibrillated cellulose. Their research covers fundamental and applied research focused on industry needs, with emphasis on decarbonization and integrated biorefining.

Current research projects include:

• Decarbonization New additives in  kraft pulping
• Enzyme/deep eutectic solvent enhanced kraft pulping to reduce its carbon intensity
• Data-driven soft sensors for entrained air measurement and its application for brownstock  lstock washer control
• Non-evaporative drying of porous materials using thermo-responsive polymers
• Process and techno-economic analysis of CO ₂ capture
• Reuse paper machine white water in bleaching
• Implementation of near-neutral chlorine dioxide brightening technology
• Integrated biorefining Valorization of paper mill sludge Vitrimers from lignin Engineering novel cellulose nanocrystal films

Processing, characterization, and valorization of soybean hull \ The center also offers a range of research services to the pulp and paper and allied industries which may involve students from our program to get experience in these industry aligned research and testing projects.

• M Parit and Z. Jiang, (2023). “Cellulose nanocrystal films: effect of electrolyte and lignin addition on self‑assembly, optical, and mechanical properties”, Cellulose, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-023-05464-6.
• J Li, NE Alamdari, B Aksoy, M Parit and Z Jiang, (2023). “Integrated enzyme hydrolysis assisted cellulose nanofibril (CNF) fabrication: A sustainable approach to paper mill sludge (PMS) management”, Chemosphere, 334:138966.
• A Parkhi, D Young, S Cremaschi and Z Jiang, (2023). “Carbon dioxide capture from the Kraft mill limekiln: process and techno-economic analysis”. Discover Chemical Engineering, 3 (1):8
• Y Ma, N Guo, X Li, Z Jiang, D Zhang, L Guo, Y Wang, (2023). “Development of an efficient recombinant protein expression system in Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum based on the bacteriophage T7 system”, ACS Synthetic Biology, 12(10):3092–3105
• A More, T Elder, N Pajer, DS Argyropoulos and Z Jiang, (2022). “Novel and Integrated Process for the Valorization of Kraft Lignin to Produce Lignin-Containing Vitrimers”, ACS Omega, 8 (1): 1097-1108
• A Parkhi, S Cremaschi and Z Jiang (2022). “Techno-economic analysis of CO2 capture from pulp and paper mill limekiln”, IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55 (7), 284-291
• JM Kim, A Mazumder, J Li and Z Jiang, BS Beckingham, (2022). “Impact of PEGMA on transport and co-transport of methanol and acetate in PEGDA-AMPS cation exchange membranes”, Journal of Membrane Science, 642, 119950.
• B Aksoy, M Yildirim-Aksoy, Z Jiang and B Beck, (2022). “Novel animal feed binder from soybean hulls-evaluation of binding properties”. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 288(14):115292.
• M Parit, H Du, X Zhang and Z Jiang, (2022). “Flexible, Transparent, UV-Protecting, Water-Resistant Nanocomposite Films Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Kraft Lignin-Grafted Cellulose Nanofibers”, ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 4 (5):3587-3597
• H Du, M Zhang, K Liu, M Parit, Z Jiang, X Zhang, B Li and C Si, (2022). “Conductive PEDOT: PSS/cellulose nanofibril paper electrodes for flexible supercapacitors with superior areal capacitance and cycling stability”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 428:131994

• A More,  T Elder  and Z Jiang,  (2021), “Towards a new understanding of the retro-aldol reaction for oxidative conversion of lignin to aromatic aldehydes and acids”, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 183(31), 1505-1513.
• J Li, S Shi, Y Wan. and Z Jiang, (2021), “Integrated Production of Optically Pure L-Lactic Acid from Paper Mill Sludge by Simultaneous Saccharification and Co-Fermentation (SSCF)”, Waste Management, 129(5), 35-46.
• H Du, M Parit, K Liu, M Zhang, Z Jiang, TS Huang, X Zhang and C Si (2021). “Engineering cellulose nanopaper with water resistant, antibacterial, and improved barrier properties by impregnation of chitosan and the followed halogenation”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 27, 118372.
• H Du, M Parit, K Liu, M Zhang, Z Jiang, TS Huang, X Zhang and C S, (2021). “Multifunctional Cellulose Nanopaper with Superior Water-Resistant, Conductive, and Antibacterial Properties Functionalized with Chitosan and Polypyrrole”, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 13(27), 32115-32125.
• H Du, M Zhang, K Liu, M Parit, Z Jiang, X Zhang, C Si and B Li, (2021). “Conductive PEDOT: PSS/Cellulose Nanofibril Paper Electrodes for Flexible Supercapacitors with Superior Areal Capacitance and Cycling Stability”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 428, 131994.
• Zhou, B, Wang, Y., Jiang, Z., Salam, A. and Li, K., 2021, “How do xylanase and hot acid stages differ at enhancing elemental chlorine-free bleaching of hardwood kraft pulp?”, Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/02773813.2021.1938130. 
• Maria C. Iglesia, Fatima Hamade, Burak Aksoy, Zhihua Jiang, Virginia A. Davis and Maria S. Peresin (2021), “Comparison Between CNFs from Wood and Soybean Hulls with Different Chemical Composition”, BioResources, 16(3), 4831-4845.
• More, A., Elder, T. and Jiang, Z. (2021). “A review of lignin hydrogen peroxide oxidation chemistry with emphasis on aromatic aldehydes and acids”, Holzforschung, https://doi.org/10.1515/hf-2020-0165.
• Alamdari, N.E., Aksoy B, Aksoy M., Beck B.H. and Jiang Z., (2020). “A Novel Paper-Based and pH-Sensitive Intelligent Detector in Meat and Seafood Packaging”, Talanta, 224:121913. (75%)
• Parit, M. and Jiang, Z., (2020). “Towards Lignin Derived Thermoplastic Polymers”. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 165:3180.
• Parit M., Du H., Zhang X., Prather C., Adams M. and Jiang Z., (2020). “Polypyrrole and Cellulose Nanofiber Based Composite Films with Improved Physical and Electrical Properties for Electromagnetic Shielding Applications”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 240:116304.
• Du, H., Parit, M., Wu, M., Che, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, M., Wang, R., Zhang, X., Jiang, Z. and  Lib, B., (2020). “Sustainable Valorization of Paper Mill Sludge into Cellulose Nanofibrils and Cellulose Nanopaper”, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 400:123106.
• Dobyns, B.M., Lim, J.M., Li, J., Jiang, Z. and Beckingham, B.S., (2020). “Multicomponent Transport of Alcohols in Nafion 117 Measured by In Situ ATR FTIR Spectroscopy”, Polymer, 209:123046.
• Miao C., Du H., Parit M., Jiang Z., Tippur H.V., Zhang Y., Liu Z., Li L. and Wang. R., (2020). “Superior Crack Initiation and Growth Characteristics of Cellulose Nanopaper”, Cellulose, 27(6):3319-3334.
• Geleynse S., Jiang Z., Brandt K., Garcia-Perez M., Wolcott M. and Zhang X., (2020). “Pulp Mill Integration with Alcohol-to-Jet Conversion Technology”, Fuel Processing Technology, 207:106338.
• Cao X, Liang L., Chen Z., Guo L., Jiang Z., Tang F., Yun Y. and Wang, Y., (2020). “Co-Valorization of Paper Mill Sludge and Corn Steep Liquor for Enhanced n-Butanol Production with Clostridium Tyrobutyricum Δcat1::adhE2”, Bioresource Technology, 296:122347.
• Iglesias, M.C.,  Shivyari, N., Norris, A., Martin-Sampedro, R., Eugenio, M.E., Lahtinen, P.,  Auad, M.L., Elder. T. Jiang, Z., Frazier, C.E. and Peresin, M.S., (2020). “The effect of residual lignin on the rheological properties of cellulose nanofibril suspensions”, Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology, 40(6), 370-381.
• Iglesias M.C., Gomez-Maldonado D., Via B.K., Jiang Z. and Peresin, M.S., (2019). “Comparison of kraft and Sulfite Pulping Processes and Their Effects on Cellulose Fibers and Nanofibrillated Cellulose Properties: A Review”, Forest Products Journal, 70(1):10-21.
• Parit M., Saha P., Davis A.V. and Jiang Z., (2018). “Transparent and Homogenous Cellulose Nanocrystal/Lignin UV Protection Films”, ACS Omega, 3:10679-10691. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01345
• Parit M., Aksoy B. and Jiang Z., (2018). “Towards Standardization of Laboratory Preparation Procedure for Uniform Cellulose Nanopapers”, Cellulose, 25(5):2915-2924.
• Acharjee T.C, Jiang Z., Haynes R.D. and Lee Y.Y., (2017). “Evaluation of Chlorine Dioxide as a Supplementary Pretreatment Reagent for Lignocellulosic Biomass”, Bioresource Technology, 2017, 244(1):1049-1054.
• Acharjee T.C., Guan W., Lee Y.Y. and Jiang, Z., (2017). “Production of Lactic acid from Mixed Feed of Paper Sludge and Help Hurd by Simultaneous Saccharification and Co-Fermentation”, Journal of Science & Technology for Forest Products and Processes, 6(4):29-36

• Aksoy B., Jiang Z., Aksoy M., Beck B., “Animal feed binders derived from pectin-and protein-containing feedstock”, US Patent 11,582,990
• Jiang, Z. and Aksoy, B., “Phenols as additives in kraft pulping”, US Patent 11,390,990
• Aksoy B., Jiang Z., Aksoy M., Beck B. and Navid, E.A., “Matrices for detecting volatile organic compounds”, US Patent 11,536,666.
• Lehrburger, E., Laskar, D.D., Jiang, Z., Li, J., Lee, Y-Y., and Cullinan, H.T., “Apparatus and process for treatment of biomass for on-site cellulolytic enzyme production to manufacture fuels and chemicals”, US Patent 11,542,532.
• Jiang Z. and Parit M., Transparent and Homogenous Cellulose Nanocrystal-Lignin UV Protection Films, US Patent No. 10,829,602 B2.

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