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 advanced manufacturing technologies and value-added byproducts.

Current research projects include:

Advanced manufacturing technologies

• Improved kraft pulping efficiency
• Bleaching process intensification
• Balance of pulping and refining for linerboard and medium fibers
• Entrained air measurement and its application for brown https://eng.auburn.edu/chen/academics/graduate/admissions.htmlstock washer control
• Implementation of near-neutral chlorine dioxide brightening technology

Value-added byproducts

• Applying oxidation chemistry for lignin valorization
• Conversion of mill sludge to lactic acid
• Conversion of lignin to battery-grade graphite
• NFC/MFC from non-wood fibers and paper mill waste for strength and barrier property enhancement, and for oil absorption

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.

• Parit, M. and Jiang, Z., Towards Lignin Derived Thermoplastic Polymers. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, in press
• Dobyns, B.M., Lim, J.M., Li, J., Jiang, Z. and Beckingham, B.S., Multicomponent Transport of Alcohols in Nafion 117 Measured by In Situ ATR FTIR Spectroscopy. Polymer, in press
• Navid E. A., Aksoy B, Aksoy M., Beck B.H., Jiang Z.*, 2020, A novel paper-based and pH-sensitive intelligent detector in meat and seafood packaging, Talanta, Published online, 23 November 2020, 121913.
• Du, H., Parit, M., Wu, M., Che, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, M., Wang, R., Zhang, X., Jiang, Z., Lib, B., 2020. Sustainable Valorization of Paper Mill Sludge into Cellulose Nanofibrils and Cellulose Nanopaper. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 400:123106. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123106
• 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. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116304
• 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 Nanopapers. Cellulose, 27(6):3319-3334. DOI:10.1007/s10570-020-03015-x
• 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. DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2020.106338
• 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. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122347
• 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. DOI: 10.1007/s10570- 018-1759-6
• 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. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.038
• 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, 2017, 6(4):29-36

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