Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin from the City University of Hong Kong (CityU HK) is currently visiting the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) for a two-month research stay. Professor Lin, who has been ranked among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists in the fields of biotechnology and environmental science since 2020, is working together with LSIWC researchers on the development of sustainable and fire-resistant polyurethane materials using renewable and waste-derived raw materials. An article about this international research collaboration has already been published in one of the world’s best-known higher education and science publications, Times Higher Education.
Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin’s research focuses on the circular bioeconomy and biorefining – she studies how biomass and various types of waste can be converted into higher value-added products. The research group she leads at CityU HK specialises in waste valorisation and the development of biorefining processes based on circular economy principles.
From Waste to a More Fire-Resistant Material
Rigid polyurethane foam is widely used in construction, including for thermal insulation, but conventional polyurethane materials are produced from petrochemical raw materials. Researchers are seeking solutions that would make it possible to use renewable and waste-derived raw materials while also ensuring the necessary fire-safety properties of the materials.
The study is developing an approach in which, for example, food waste can be used as a resource for the development of new polyurethane materials. Such an approach makes it possible to convert waste into valuable raw materials while reducing the need for fossil resources.
Particular attention in the collaboration is being paid to technology scale-up. Using LSIWC’s pilot-scale infrastructure, the researchers are working on transferring processes from the laboratory to a larger scale. At the same time, the properties of the developed materials are being evaluated, including their flammability, as well as through techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment.
The collaboration combines the complementary expertise of both institutions. The experience of CityU HK researchers in waste valorisation and the development of circular biorefining processes is combined with LSIWC’s expertise in polyurethane chemistry, materials development, process scale-up, and the assessment of flammability properties.
“It is important to us that internationally recognised researchers choose LSIWC as a partner for advancing their research. Through this collaboration, we can combine Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin’s experience in waste valorisation with our expertise in polyurethane chemistry and materials development. At the same time, it is an opportunity to use LSIWC’s infrastructure to test solutions developed in the laboratory on a larger scale and assess their potential for practical application,” says Dr Uģis Cābulis, Deputy Director for Research at LSIWC and Head of the Polymer Laboratory.
Long-Term Cooperation with the City University of Hong Kong
The collaboration between LSIWC and CityU HK with Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin began in 2018, when Dr Miķelis Kirpļuks and Dr Anda Fridrihsone, Leading Researchers at the LSIWC Polymer Laboratory, began working with Professor Lin’s research group.
“Our collaboration began with a conversation after Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin’s presentation on the complex processing of food waste. At the time, we discussed the possibility of producing polyurethane foam from waste oil instead of biodiesel. Since then, this idea has grown into a long-term and highly productive research collaboration,” says Dr Miķelis Kirpļuks.
The collaboration has resulted in joint scientific publications, international patent applications, and research project proposals. The cooperation is currently continuing with the development of new bio-based material solutions.
“Over the years, this collaboration has produced not only joint scientific results and publications, but also opportunities to develop new research ideas and advance them together. We are currently continuing our work on new bio-based materials, seeking solutions in which renewable and waste-derived raw materials can replace conventional raw materials,” says Dr Anda Fridrihsone.
This international collaboration also extends to other research areas at LSIWC. As part of the cooperation, earlier this year Dr Uģis Cābulis, Deputy Director for Research at LSIWC and Head of the Polymer Laboratory, delivered a guest lecture at the City University of Hong Kong, introducing the audience to the institute’s work in space technologies and cryogenic insulation.
Joint Research by LSIWC and CityU HK Gains International Attention
Professor Lin’s visit to Latvia is taking place within the framework of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council’s new Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme. She is one of seven CityU HK researchers who have received a fellowship under this programme for international research collaboration.
The joint research of LSIWC and CityU HK has already attracted international attention – an article about the cooperation between the two institutions has been published in one of the world’s best-known higher education and science publications, Times Higher Education.
The publication “Fire-repelling foam could save lives and upcycle waste” examines research into the development of new polyurethane foams using renewable and waste-derived raw materials, as well as the collaboration between the two institutions in advancing this solution.
In the publication, Professor Carol Sze Ki Lin emphasises the importance of long-term cooperation with LSIWC and the institute’s international reputation in the field of polyurethane chemistry. She particularly highlights the combination of the complementary expertise and research infrastructure of both institutions, which makes it possible to jointly advance the research from laboratory scale towards solutions closer to practical application.
About the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry
LSIWC is one of the leading research centres for wood and other biomass in the Baltic region. Founded in 1946, the institute combines decades of scientific tradition with a dynamic approach to the latest trends in wood chemistry, green synthesis, and materials science.
