Sustainable future materials and forest conservation: presentations by Bodo Saake and Max Flaig at international wood chemistry conference
8 July 2023, by Anh Nguyen

Photo: Dennis Möck
At the international wood chemistry conference ISWFPC, which took place in Venice in July 2023, Prof Bodo Saake and Max Lauritz Flaig (PhD student) presented groundbreaking technical papers on innovative projects in the field of wood chemistry.
Prof Saake, a renowned expert in the field of wood chemistry, unveiled the latest advances in the CRF-Straw project. His presentation focussed on the development of an environmentally friendly process to produce pulp from wheat straw as an alternative to wood for the paper industry. In addition, this technology promises the production of regenerated cellulose fibres (CRF) and thus opens up new perspectives for sustainable materials in the textile industry.
Max Flaig, a doctoral student at the Institute for Chemical Wood Technology at the University of Hamburg, presented his research findings as part of the MTH project. His captivating lecture dealt with the database-supported detection of tropical wood in paper. With the help of characteristic extractant compositions of each individual tree species, analysed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Flaig developed a method for the protection of forests. This advanced analysis makes it possible to identify tropical wood in the paper trade and thus contributes to the conservation of global forest resources.
The contributions of Prof Saake and Max Flaig at the ISWFPC 2023 underline the outstanding role of research in the field of wood chemistry. The projects presented not only offer innovative solutions for the industry, but also help to reduce the environmental impact and promote the sustainable use of resources