Doctoral student Yağmur Baş has developed new multifunctional materials that show promising results as wound dressings and separators in in supercapacitors.
23 January 2026
Wood could become the next generation of wound dressings
By refining wood down to the nanoscale, Yağmur Baş, doctoral student at Luleå University of Technology, has developed novel multifunctional nanocellulose materials. In her published doctoral thesis, she demonstrates how wood can be transformed into durable, biocompatible and environmentally friendly networks that can serve as advanced wound dressings and separators in supercapacitors.
"By harnessing the natural structure of wood, we can create materials that not only perform better but are also more sustainable. The wood nanofibril networks have shown promising properties as advanced wound dressings. They are biocompatible, can absorb liquid efficiently while retaining their structure," says Yağmur Baş, doctoral student in Wood and Bionanocomposites at Luleå University of Technology.
From Wood Particles to Advanced Materials
Wood is one of our most abundant natural resources, yet nanotechnology can unlock entirely new properties within it. In her research, Yağmur Baş has shown that TEMPO oxidation makes it possible to convert wood particles into cellulose nanofibrils. The method eliminates traditional multi-step processes in the production of cellulose nanofibrils and offers a more straightforward route.
"The method provides a direct and efficient way to produce nanofibril networks without the need for separate pulping or bleaching stages," says Yağmur Baş.
The developed nanofibril networks have been tested for two distinct applications: as wound dressings and as separators in energy storage devices. In both cases, the materials demonstrated promising preliminary results. These networks exhibit high liquid absorption, strong mechanical integrity even in wet conditions and compatibility with skin cells, which indicates potential for future medical use. The biomedical evaluations are still at an early stage, and additional research will be necessary before any clinical applications can be considered.
Research Bridging Health and Sustainability
Yağmur Baş has also shown that the wood nanofibril networks can be used in energy storage systems. By adding lignin, a natural component found in wood, the electrochemical performance can be improved, making the material suitable as a separator in supercapacitors.
"By combining renewable materials with simpler manufacturing processes, we can create multifunctional products that contribute to both sustainable development and technological innovation," says Yağmur Baş.
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