FINLAND — Scientists are investigating the use of nanocellulose-based porous foam materials in stimuli-responsive smart packaging, water purification, and wireless communications. The doctoral dissertation of Mohammad Karzarjeddi at the University of Oulu, Finland, highlights how cellulose applications can help reduce reliance on fossil-based materials. Stimulus-responsive materials react to external cues, which allows for intelligent and active packaging that adapts to humidity, temperature, light, and pH. Karzarjeddi’s work focuses on a kind of lightweight foams known as aerogels. …“Cellulose is converted into hydrogels consisting of thin and strong cellulose nanofibers, which are then dried and reassembled into aerogels: ultra-light, highly porous solids made mostly of air,” explains Karzarjeddi. “Aerogels can be engineered for multiple high-end applications, such as removing pollutants from water, creating smart packaging that reacts to moisture or temperature, and serving as lightweight materials in wireless and radio-frequency telecommunication technologies.”