Kategorie: ‘Chitosan’
Dr. Nils Münstermann Receives Third Poster Award at the 15th EUCHIS International Conference
Dr. Nils Münstermann received the Third Poster Award at the 15ᵗʰ EUCHIS International Conference of the European Chitin Society. The international conference brings together researchers in the field of chitin and chitosan research and provides a platform for scientific exchange as well as the presentation of current research findings.
The award recognizes the quality and relevance of the presented results on the interactions between chitosan itaconate and lignocellulosic materials. It also highlights the international visibility of Dr. Münstermann’s research and the significance of the topic within the scientific community.
We warmly congratulate Dr. Nils Münstermann on this recognition and are pleased about his successful contribution to the conference.
Photo: Katja Richter
New Publication: Particleboards from biogenic Residues: Turning Waste into High-Performance Materials
Particleboards are almost indispensable in furniture manufacturing and interior construction. However, many conventional wood-based materials are produced using petrochemical binders, which are neither fully bio-based nor easily biodegradable.
We show that there is a more sustainable way: stable wood fibreboards can be produced from fast-growing plant residues such as miscanthus, hemp shives and Japanese knotweed. Chitosan itaconate serves as the binder, obtained from food-industry residues and itaconic acid.
During hot pressing, the binder polymerizes into a water-insoluble interpolyelectrolyte complex. This results in fibreboards with remarkable properties: their flexural strength reaches up to 76.5 N/mm², clearly exceeding typical MDF values and approaching that of solid spruce wood. At the same time, the fibreboards remain dimensionally stable upon contact with water, are compostable and showed self-extinguishing behaviour in fire tests.
What makes this approach particularly exciting is its versatility. The binder works with a wide range of cellulose- and lignin-containing plant materials. This could allow regional residues to be processed locally into high-quality building and furniture materials in the future. We are convinced that this represents a promising step towards wood-based materials that are strong, safe and circular. Our aim is to transform waste materials into true high-performance materials.
N. Münstermann, O. Weichold
High-strength particleboards from fast-growing plant residues and food-industry by-products using chitosan-itaconate as orthogonal binder platform
Industrial Crops and Products, 2026, 245, 123251 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.123251
New Publication: From Shell Waste to Strong Wood Glue: The Future of Bio-Based Adhesives
Sustainable adhesives are becoming increasingly important, especially in applications where petrochemical resins containing problematic substances such as formaldehyde still dominate. Our latest study now shows that chitosan-based wood adhesives are a promising bio-based alternative. Chitosan is derived from chitin, a natural polymer found, among other sources, in the shells of crustaceans and generated in large quantities as a by-product of the food industry.
Two fully bio-based adhesive systems were investigated: chitosan itaconate and chitosan maleate. Both are based on renewable raw materials and were specifically developed for wood bonding. What is particularly interesting is that the acids used not only solubilize the chitosan, but also enable curing into a stable network. Both acids can be obtained via biofermentation, making the adhesive system entirely bio-based.
The results are remarkable: in the dry state, both adhesives met the requirements of DIN EN 12765 class C1 and exhibited so-called cohesive wood failure. This means that under mechanical stress, it was not the adhesive bond that failed, but the wood itself. Chitosan itaconate, in particular, also performed well under wet conditions: after treatment in boiling water, its bond strength remained at 2.7 N/mm², close to the demanding C4 class.
Chitosan itaconate is therefore a promising candidate for wood bonding applications requiring moderate moisture resistance, such as interior construction or semi-exposed uses. Chitosan maleate also showed good dry adhesion, but lost significant stability upon contact with water.
In conclusion, bio-based wood adhesives made from chitosan are far more than a niche concept. Chitosan itaconate in particular combines renewable raw materials with convincing adhesive performance and could represent an important step toward more environmentally friendly materials in the wood industry.
N. Münstermann, O. Weichold
Chitosan-itaconate and chitosan-maleate as fully bio-based sustainable wood adhesives
International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, 2026, 149, 104327 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2026.104327
PhD Completed with Distinction: Dr. Nils Münstermann
We congratulate Dr. Nils Münstermann on the successful completion of his PhD, which he passed with distinction (summa cum laude).
In his dissertation entitled “Bio-Based Chitosan Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes for the Coating and Bonding of Wood-Based Materials”, he investigated chitosan itaconate as a fully bio-based and multifunctional material system. The developed coating and adhesive systems open up new possibilities for improving the water resistance, UV protection and fire performance of wood-based materials and combine the use of renewable raw materials with application-oriented solutions for the construction and wood industries.
We are delighted that Dr. Nils Münstermann will remain at the institute as a research group leader and wish him every success in his future scientific work.
Nils Münstermann earns an award
Nils Münstermann receives an award for his presentation at the 27th International Scientific Conference on Civil Engineering – Juniorstav, which took place on May 15, 2025 in Brno, Czech Republic. At the conference, he received the Award for an Outstanding Presentation for his presentation on “A Fire-Retardant Coating for Wood Made from Food-Industry Waste”.
The award recognises not only the scientific quality of the publication presented, but also the convincing way in which it was presented to an international audience of experts. We are delighted to receive such recognition and would like to congratulate Nils Münstermann on this success.
N. Münstermann, O. Weichold
A fire-retardant coating for wood made from chitosan itaconate
Progress in Organic Coatings 2024, 197, 108793 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2024.108793
New publication: Self-crosslinking chitosan hydrogels with carboxylic acids
We are pleased to announce a new publication from our research group in the journal Gels. In this study, Nils Münstermann and Oliver Weichold investigated the conditions under which chitosan forms stable hydrogels without additional crosslinkers.
The formation of self-crosslinking chitosan hydrogels using simple carboxylic acids alone is severely limited. Although viscous solutions can be produced with dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic, malonic or succinic acid, stable gels cannot. Stable ionic hydrogels can only be produced by specific chemical modifications such as N-carboxyalkylation or N-succinylation. The length and flexibility of the alkyl spacer and the presence of a covalent bond are crucial for gel formation and mechanical strength. N-carboxypropylchitosan in particular forms very strong gels with low swelling, while shorter side chains produce weaker gels.
Münstermann, N.; Weichold, O.
On the Conditions Determining the Formation of Self-Crosslinking Chitosan Hydrogels with Carboxylic Acids,
Gels 2025, 11(5), 333. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11050333
RWTH article on our publication: “Spectacular alternative to classic wood stain”
We are delighted that our innovative wood stain has now also been recognized by the press office of RWTH Aachen University. In a recent article, the RWTH highlights the discovery process and the special properties of our chitosan glaze. It also discusses our sustainable approach to environmentally friendly alternatives in the construction industry.
Our coating is based on chitosan, a natural substance that can be obtained from crab shells, insect shells and fungi. It is not only water and stain resistant, but also UV resistant, flame retardant and fully compostable. While wood has to be disposed of separately after treatment with conventional wood preservatives, our biodegradable coating fits perfectly into the circular economy of sustainable building materials.
The full article from the RWTH press office can be found here.
Spruce wood in a fire test: the effect of chitosan itaconate as a coating
In our publication “A fire-retardant coating for wood made from chitosan itaconate”, Nils Münstermann and Oliver Weichold test the fire behaviour of untreated spruce wood and spruce wood coated with chitosan itaconate. While the untreated spruce wood burns down completely, the flame in the coated wood goes out by itself without the test specimen burning completely.
Spruce uncoated
Spruce coated
N. Münstermann, O. Weichold
A fire-retardant coating for wood made from chitosan itaconate
Progress in Organic Coatings 2024, 197, 108793 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2024.108793
Polymer Blends & Eurofillers 2025
Paul Marten and Fabian Weitenhagen attended and delivered presentations at Polymer Blends & Eurofillers 2025 in Lyon this week.
Paul Marten presented the “Development and Characterisation of a Composite Material based on Polylactic Acid, Chitin, and Lecithin”.
Fabian Weitenhagen presented “Sustainable Biopolymer Composites Using Recycling Cellulose from Wastepaper”.
Contributions to our publication: Fire-retardant wood coating
The publication “Fire-retardant Coating For Wood Made From Chitosan Itaconate” is internationally recognised by an article in the Italian trade journal Pitture e Vernici – European Coatings (Issue 1/2025, page 36) and by a web post by European Coatings entitled “A fire-retardant coating for wood made from chitosan itaconate” – News and insights for the European coatings industry. The chitosan itaconate glaze is transparent, emphasises the natural wood grain and renders the surface water-repellent. It reliably protects the wood from moisture, prevents UV-induced greying and efficiently reduces the burning rate. With just two applications on spruce and three on beech wood, the glaze is self-extinguishing. Find out more.
This bio-based approach combines resource conservation with effectiveness and demonstrates how environmental preservation and safety requirements can be successfully combined. It fills us with joy and appreciation to see that our work is attracting greater attention.
Pitture E Vernici: Fire-retardant Coating For Wood Made From Chitosan Itaconate, Fascicolo 1/Gennaio – Febbraio 2025 – Pitture e Vernici, https://www.pittureevernici.it/archivio/archivio-2025/fascicolo-1-gennaio-febbraio2025/.
European Coatings: A fire-retardant coating for wood made from chitosan itaconate – News and insights for the European coatings industry, https://www.european-coatings.com/news/application-areas/a-fire-retardant-coating-for-wood-made-from-chitosan-itaconate/.
