Enchanced extensibility of fibre network through tailored fibre-fibre interactions for future bio-based products

The main target of the proposed project is to tailor the fibre-fibre interactions and fibre joint structure by modification of the gel-like layer of hydrated fibrils on the fibre surfaces. This will be carried out by modifying the fibre surface or by adsorbing polymers onto fibre surfaces, which will change the properties of the gel-like layer depending on the interactions between the layer and the adsorbed polymers. Tailoring of the gel-like layer significantly affects the molecular level interdiffusion across the interface between fibre surfaces at different conditions during the consolidation of the fibre network. The time-dependency of the diffusion of the added polymers will also be taken into account.