Spent mushroom substrates (SMS), a lignocellulosic residue from mushroom cultivation, represent a promising raw material for the valorization of nontoxic materials supporting the circular bioeconomy. The inherent biological pretreatment of the birch wood substrate during shiitake cultivation reduces the need for chemicals prior to fibrillation. SMS was fibrillated using an extruder and a blender at high (28 wt %) and low (5 wt %) solid contents, respectively, with and without a predispersion step. Extrusion proved to be the most energy-efficient method, requiring only 11 kWh/t, compared with 417 kWh/t for blending. When combined with predispersion, extrusion is the second most energy-efficient fibrillation method (789 kWh/t), compared to blending with predispersion (1195 kWh/t). Microscopy and fiber fractionation confirmed fibrillation into microfibers after extrusion and the presence of residual mycelium. Sheet formation by vacuum filtration over a coarse mesh significantly lowered the filtration time compared to a fine filter. Sheets produced from fibrillated SMS possessed tensile strength up to 7.5 times higher than commercial birch kraft pulp sheets prepared under the same conditions. The improved tensile strength is due to the presence of mycelial fibrils, which enhanced fiber–fiber bonding. Overall, extrusion provides a scalable, energy-efficient route for SMS fibrillation for the production of future all-natural materials without the need for chemical modification.

This paper examines how circular economy principles are understood and applied within the Swedish steel industry, situated within a broader European policy context. Drawing on qualitative interviews with industry and academic respondents, it explores drivers, barriers, and opportunities shaping the transition toward circular and low-emissions steelmaking. The findings show that while Sweden’s nearly fossil-free electricity mix, strong policy framework, and rising market demand create favorable conditions, progress remains constrained by high capital costs, technological immaturity, and limited availability of high-quality scrap. Respondents emphasise that economic feasibility and market acceptance currently outweigh policy ambition as determinants of change. Circularity is widely supported in principle but challenged in practice by material and infrastructural limitations. The paper concludes that Sweden’s structural advantages position it as a frontrunner and testbed for circular steel production, provided that coordinated action aligns technological innovation, market incentives, and regulatory frameworks.

Climate change and urbanization have caused increased surface runoff and reduced infiltration, which together exacerbates urban flooding. The hypothesis in this study is that green engineering from renewable marine biomass is a resource-efficient approach that utilize the intrinsic properties of brown seaweed for material development and optimization to achieve functional properties with potential for stormwater management. The study focuses on understanding the structure-property relationship for material development, while making use of the entire seaweed as a resource for a 100 % yield combined with non-toxic processing. The stipes, byproducts of seaweed harvesting, were fibrillated directly without using any chemicals, at an energy consumption of 2 kWh/kg, resulting in a green paste that was subsequently diluted to set concentrations and freeze dried to obtain a porous structure. CaCl2 crosslinking of the structures was optimized to achieve a porous biomaterial with porosities between 80 % and 94 % that kept its structural integrity upon absorption via a post-crosslinking approach. The drying process was optimized to achieve dimension stability wherein a second freeze-drying cycle and solvent method resulted in structures with dimension stability, compared to the uneven shapes that was obtained for materials dried directly at room temperature. The developed porous biomaterial displayed prominent absorption capacity with deionized water and stormwater absorption capacities around 3500 % and 4000 %, respectively. The cyclic water absorption studies also confirmed that the material can withstand during multiple cycles of absorption-drying with excellent structural integrity.

Brown seaweed is a naturally occurring composite that integrates alginate and cellulose within a hierarchical, hydrated architecture analogous to engineered hydrogel systems. This study hypothesizes that leveraging the native structure–function relationships of brown seaweed enables the development of functional hydrogel biomaterials while minimizing synthetic and chemical processing. Strategies are investigated to exploit the intrinsic biological structure and composition of brown seaweed blades across multiple formats, including native and purified blade structures, as well as fibrillated blades reassembled into hydrogels and foam structures via 3D printing and freeze-drying. The resulting biomaterials are characterized in terms of structure, hydrogel stability, and liquid absorption capacity in different media. The effects of purification are compared with those of native materials. In addition, porosity, mechanical, rheological, and cytocompatibility properties of the fibrillated and reassembled structures are evaluated. By preserving the natural architecture and avoiding extensive fractionation, this approach demonstrates the potential to create resource-efficient biomaterials with high liquid absorption (∼3600%), high porosity (∼93%), and shape-memory behavior after compression. Cytocompatibility reaches ∼73% viability at 50% extract but decreases to ∼59% at full concentration, indicating a concentration-dependent biological response, underscoring the need to balance minimal processing with biological performance for biomedical applications.

Thin, high-performance separators are crucial for enhancing the volumetric energy density of electrochemical energy storage devices. Cellulose nanofibril networks are promising candidates due to their intrinsic hydrophilicity and ability to form thin, mechanically strong networks. In this study, wood particles were directly TEMPO-oxidized and fibrillated into nanofibrils (TOCNF) using a microfluidizer, and their resulting networks were tailored with kraft lignin via a simple mixing and casting approach. The influence of lignin content on separator properties and supercapacitor performance was systematically evaluated. The modified networks were compared with pristine TOCNF networks and commercial polyolefin separators. An optimal lignin content of 10 wt% provides the best balance of properties, combining high electrolyte uptake (∼280 wt%), good wet tensile strength (∼6 MPa), and sufficient thermal stability. Supercapacitors assembled with this separator delivered high specific capacitance (112.1 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), low series resistance (2.4 Ω), and stable, symmetric charge–discharge behavior. Increasing lignin content to 20 and 30 wt% led to reduced mechanical integrity and electrochemical performance. Overall, the bio-based separators outperformed the commercial reference, highlighting lignin-tailored TOCNF networks as sustainable and high-performance alternatives for next-generation energy storage applications.

Wounds are highly prone to infection, which can delay healing and lead to severe complications such as gangrene and sepsis. Non-healing wounds significantly impact patients' physical and mental well-being and place a substantial financial burden on healthcare systems. Timely and effective treatment of wound infections is critical, but the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens complicates this process. In this study, we investigate a potent protease resistant antimicrobial peptide (AMP), PLNC8 αβ, for the treatment of wound infections and present a strategy for localized AMP delivery using functionalized advanced nanocellulose (NC) wound dressings. Two types of NC dressings were explored: bacterial cellulose (BC) and TEMPO-oxidized nanocellulose derived from wood powder (TC). In a porcine wound infection model, PLNC8 αβ exhibited high antimicrobial activity, successfully eradicating the infection while promoting wound re-epithelialization. To achieve controlled release of PLNC8 αβ from the NC dressings, the peptides were either physisorbed directly onto the nanofibrils or encapsulated within mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that were incorporated into the dressings. The PLNC8 αβ functionalized dressings demonstrated low cytotoxicity toward human primary fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Both BC and TC dressings showed efficient contact inhibition of bacteria but were less effective in inhibiting bacteria in suspension. In contrast, MSN-functionalized dressings, displayed significantly enhanced peptide-loading and sustained release capacities, resulting in improved antimicrobial efficacy. These findings highlight the potential of PLNC8 αβ and PLNC8 αβ-functionalized nanocellulose wound dressings for the treatment of infected wounds, offering an effective alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.

Underutilized co- and by-products are upgraded into materials with functional properties. The utilization of mushroom farming residues is investigated, specifically mushroom residues and spent mushroom substrate – whose chemical composition is determined – to produce cosmetic face masks, packaging films, and oil sorbents. Flexible mushroom sheets exhibit conformability and antioxidant activity between 82 and 94%, and better tensile strength in comparison with commercial cosmetic masks, making them suitable for such applications. Plasticization with glycerol increases the flexibility and tensile strain from ≈1 to 45% and moisture sorption from 32 to 100 wt.%. Spent mushroom substrate pulp yields stiff and strong rigid sheets with Young's moduli of 5 GPa and tensile strengths of 42 MPa. These sheets show 100% antioxidant activity, having hydrophobic behavior and oxygen barrier properties in dry conditions, and thus are promising for bioactive packaging applications. Foamed spent mushroom substrate sorbents demonstrate high affinity for both oil and water, with a water and oil uptake of 21 and 28 times their weight, respectively, while maintaining structural integrity. These properties make the foams viable as bio-based oil sorbents, highlighting the potential of by-products for advanced functional materials.

From an economic and environmental perspective, the use of less chemicals in the production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) is advantageous. In this study, we investigated the oxidation (TEMPO/NaClO2/NaClO, pH 6.8) of softwood (SW) particles with varying amounts of TEMPO (16, 8 or 0 mg g−1 of wood). Following, TEMPO-oxidized SW nanofibrils (TO-SWNFs) were obtained by nanofibrillation and their size, morphology, and crystallite size were assessed. Hydrogel networks of TO-SWNFs were prepared and mechanical properties were measured in dH2O and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to compare their performance for possible biomedical applications such as wound dressings. The results reveal that the presence of TEMPO is of importance for TO-SWNF network properties, presenting higher eq. H2O absorption (≈2500 %) and elongation at break (≈10 %) with good wet strength (≈180 kPa). In addition, a decrease in use of TEMPO catalyst from 16 to 8 mg g−1 of wood is possible, without detrimental effects on hydrogel network properties (dH2O absorption ≈ 2000 %, elongation at break ≈ 13 %, wet strength ≈ 190 kPa) related to applications as wound dressings.

Wound infections result in delayed healing, morbidity, and increased risks of sepsis. Early detection of wound infections can facilitate treatment and reduce the need for the excessive use of antibiotics. Proteases are normally active during the healing process but are overexpressed during infection as part of the inflammatory response. Proteases are also produced by the bacteria infecting the wounds, making proteases a highly relevant biomarker for infection monitoring. Here, we show a fluorescence turn-on sensor for real-time monitoring of protease activity in advanced nanocellulose wound dressings for rapid detection of wound pathogens. Colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were adsorbed on bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibrils by using a carefully optimized self-assembly process. The AuNPs could either be homogeneously incorporated in BC dressings or 3D printed in wood-derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF) dressings using a BC-AuNP ink. The BC-adsorbed AuNPs were subsequently functionalized with fluorophore-labeled protease substrates. Cleavage of the substrates by proteases produced by the wound pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulted in a significant increase in fluorescence that correlated with the growth phase of the bacteria. Wound dressing with integrated sensors for the detection of proteolytic activity can enable the sensitive and rapid detection of infections, allowing for optimization of treatment and reducing the risks of complications.

Bioflex is a biodegradable polymer blend combining poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA), offering properties comparable to polyethylene. However, challenges like limited processability and low mechanical properties restrict its use to agricultural films. In this study, fibers from end-of-life textiles (polyester, viscose, cotton, and silk) are used to address these limitations, demonstrating a resource-efficient approach to reducing landfill deposits. Adding fibers to the polymer blend (30 wt%) visibly improves the melt strength. The end-of-life fibers affect the mechanical properties in different ways: polyester fibers almost double the tensile strength, viscose fibers triples flexural strength, and silk fibers lead to the highest compressive strength. The retained colors of the fibers further contribute to vibrant composites, making them ideal for cosmetics packaging, household goods, fashion accessories, and toys. Additionally, the composting test revealed varied disintegration behaviors. Cotton and silk began disintegrating first, viscose followed, while polyester showed no disintegration, extending the composite's durability in use. This study highlights the potential of end-of-life textiles as an excellent reinforcement for Bioflex copolymer blends, promoting efficient resource use, reducing environmental waste, and unlocking new application areas for biodegradable polymers.