Nordic Biomaterials

In the coming years, our material world will change dramatically. The overuse of existing raw materials cannot continue and global consumption must decrease. However, our need for materials will not disappear: also in the future, materials will come to nurture us, cover us, comfort us, delight us, as well as keep us alive. This means that we need many new ideas, collaboration across all borders and hard work to replace our existing material systems and consumption habits with more sustainable ones.

If used wisely, wood- and plant-based materials offer one possible pathway towards a more sustainable material world: they come from renewable sources, can be modified on a chemical level, and can be used for recyclable or biodegradable products.

Nordic Biomaterials by CHEMARTS (CHEM-E0165) inspires students to combine design and material science for new cellulose-driven concepts and ideas. Combining natural materials with advanced technologies offer new possibilities for sustainable development within existing and emerging industries.

This graduate-level course teaches students with varying backgrounds (design, science, engineering, business) to combine design with material research. It introduces a broad spectrum of biomaterials, especially wood-and plant-based. During the course, students familiarise themselves with practice-based material research, experience how interdisciplinary material research happens in practice, and explore how raw materials could be turned into innovative business ideas in the context of circular economy.

Course leader

The use of materials today is not sustainable for the environment and our future. Take action and learn how to create new concepts for sustainable material development by combining design, technology and natural materials science in the context of circula

Target group

graduate students and professionals

Course aim

- Familiarize with materials that are processed either chemically or mechanically from trees or other plants, such as cellulose fibres, fibrils (micro- or nano-structured), lignin, bark extractives and novel combinations of these

- The ability to develop innovative ideas through hands-on prototyping and experimenting with materials

- Awareness of the main sustainability issues related to this field

- Understand the principles of scaling the ideas towards innovations and even commercialisation

- Experience of an interdisciplinary working environment in practice

Fee info

EUR 1690: tuition fee
EUR 300: programme fee

Scholarships

Unfortunately, Aalto University Summer School does not offer scholarships for participants.

Register for this course
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