Sustainable energy solutions through physically and chemically modified wood
department or school: Applied Science, Faculty of
department or school: Chemical and Biological Engineering, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Shi, Xuetong
issued: 2025-10-20T13:38:28Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Amid growing climate challenges and the need to decarbonize energy systems, the development of renewable materials has become a cornerstone of bio-innovation. Wood, with its intrinsic hierarchical porosity and mechanical robustness, emerges as a promising candidate for engineering multifunctional materials to meet energy and environmental demands. However, novel applications of wood require enhanced control over light absorption, hygroscopicity, and rigidity, necessitating advanced structural and chemical modifications. This thesis explores the potential of wood, specifically balsa and basswood, as a foundational material for sustainable energy management. The research targets solar energy conversion, thermal regulation, and rainfall energy harvesting through synergistic physical and chemical transformations. By integrating materials science, nanotechnology, and sustainable design principles, the work advances wood-based systems that bridge the gap between renewable feedstocks and high-performance energy technologies. Four interconnected studies illustrate this approach. First, a lightweight, anisotropic foam was engineered from balsa via controlled delignification, microfibrillation, and surface amorphization, resulting in tunable compressibility and enhanced thermal insulation. Second, to harness rainfall as an energy source, an all-wood triboelectric nanogenerator was fabricated through in situ lignin clustering and redistribution, improving both hydrophobicity and electrical output. Third, wood infused with a phase change material (PCM) was developed for solar-thermal energy conversion and storage, demonstrating efficient unidirectional heat transfer and stable cyclic performance for passive building temperature regulation. Lastly, lignin's inherent photothermal properties were valorized to design sustainable, high-efficiency solar absorbers integrated into wood–PCM composites. Overall, this thesis demonstrates how harmonizing wood's architecture with targeted m…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/92659
note: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS THROUGH PHYSICALLY AND CHEMICALLY MODIFIED WOOD by Xuetong Shi B.S., Beijing Forestry University, 2015 M.S., KTH and Aalto University, 2019 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Doctor of Philosophy in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Chemical and Biological Engineering) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2025 © Xuetong Shi, 2025 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the dissertation entitled: Sustainable Energy Solutions through Physically and Chemically Modified Wood submitted by Xuetong Shi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering Examining Committee: Orlando Rojas, Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, UBC John Smith, Professor, Materials Engineering, UBC Supervisor Naoko Ellis, Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Feng Jiang, Associate Professor, Department of Wood Science, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Chunping Dai, Associate Professor, Department of Wood Science, UBC University Examiner Lacey Samuels, Professor, Department of Botany, UBC University Examiner Gloria Oporto, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University External Examiner iii Abstract Amid growing climate challenges and the need to decarbonize energy systems, the development of renewable materials has become a cornerstone of bio-innovation. Wood, with its intrinsic hierarchical porosity and mechanical robustness, emerges as a promising candidate for engineering multifunctional materials to meet energy and environmental demands. However, novel applications of wood require enhanced control over light absorption, hygroscopicity, and rigidity, necessitating advanced structural and chemical modific…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0450484
language: eng
degree discipline: Chemical and Biological Engineering
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Rojas, Orlando J.
type: Text
type: Still Image
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/92659