Linn Berglund, associate professor of wood and bionanocomposites, at her docent lecture earlier in December.
18 December 2025
The small details that shape the future of materials
How can nature’s smallest building blocks help us address major societal challenges? This question was at the center when Linn Berglund recently delivered her docent lecture at Vetenskapens Hus in Luleå. As an Associate Professor in Wood and Bionanocomposites at Luleå University of Technology, she researches how biomass and residual materials can be transformed into strong, sustainable, and resource-efficient materials.
"By studying nature’s structures on the microscale, we can develop materials that make far better use of raw resources," says Linn Berglund.
Her research shows how raw materials from forests, oceans, and fungi can be pretreated and fibrillated to create materials with entirely new properties. These nanoscale fibers can be tailored for a wide range of applications, from biomedical products and next-generation packaging to construction materials and advanced absorbents.
"Biomass and residual materials are resources we do not fully utilize today. When we understand their properties, we can create materials that are both functional and far more resource-efficient," she says.
During the lecture, she presented concrete examples: forest-derived fibers used in wound dressings, brown algae that can form the basis for new packaging solutions, and the natural recycling role of fungi, which opens doors to innovative material concepts. A recurring theme was the need to reduce the environmental impact of today’s material production.
"We need alternatives to chemical-intensive processes and materials that contribute to microplastic pollution. Bio-based materials can provide sustainable solutions that work on a large scale," says Linn Berglund.
She also emphasized the importance of a holistic perspective, where understanding raw materials, processes, and applications is interconnected in order to develop materials that make a real difference.
Contact
Linn Berglund
- Associate Professor
- 0920-493381
- linn.berglund@ltu.se
- Linn Berglund
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