Nanocellulose materials for future telecommunications applications
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
IT115, Linnanmaa Campus
Topic of the dissertation
Nanocellulose materials for future telecommunications applications
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science (Technology) Riikka Haataja
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Technology, Fibre and Particle Engineering Research Unit
Subject of study
Process Engineering
Opponent
Senior Researcher Gilberto Siqueira, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA)
Custos
Professor Henrikki Liimatainen, University of Oulu
6G components out of cellulose -wood-based raw materials for future telecommunications technologies
Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. At the same time, new electronic materials are expected to provide novel properties and functionalities, while also demanding compliance with sustainability goals. This doctoral research investigated whether wood-based materials, especially nanocellulose, could be utilized in sustainable components and devices for future telecommunications technologies.
Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and is a renewable, non-toxic, and lightweight material. When cellulose is broken down into nanoscale fibers, its properties can be tailored for a wide range of applications. The dissertation demonstrated that nanocellulose can be used to fabricate various functional structures for future telecommunications technologies, such as films and foams, whose electrical properties can be engineered and controlled.
In the first sub-study, porous and ultralight nanocellulose-MXene aerogel structures were developed for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The results showed that the material structure, particularly surface density and pore orientation, had a greater impact on shielding performance than the amount of conductive material alone.
The second and third sub-studies developed temperature-responsive films based on nanocellulose and vanadium dioxide and demonstrated their applicability in reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). The electrical properties of these materials could be controlled as a function of temperature, enabling dynamic manipulation and steering of communication signals.
In the fourth sub-study, a fully wood-based Fresnel lens antenna for high-frequency THz applications was developed. The antennas were fabricated from combinations of nanocellulose and lignin-derived biochar. The study showed that wood-based antennas can achieve very high directivity and may even outperform comparable metallic reference antennas at high frequencies.
Overall, the doctoral research demonstrates that wood-based nanocellulose materials are not just an environmentally friendly alternative but can also provide genuinely new functional advantages for future telecommunications technologies. At the same time, the work highlights opportunities for the forest industry to develop higher-value products that generate greater added value from smaller amounts of raw material.
Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and is a renewable, non-toxic, and lightweight material. When cellulose is broken down into nanoscale fibers, its properties can be tailored for a wide range of applications. The dissertation demonstrated that nanocellulose can be used to fabricate various functional structures for future telecommunications technologies, such as films and foams, whose electrical properties can be engineered and controlled.
In the first sub-study, porous and ultralight nanocellulose-MXene aerogel structures were developed for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The results showed that the material structure, particularly surface density and pore orientation, had a greater impact on shielding performance than the amount of conductive material alone.
The second and third sub-studies developed temperature-responsive films based on nanocellulose and vanadium dioxide and demonstrated their applicability in reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). The electrical properties of these materials could be controlled as a function of temperature, enabling dynamic manipulation and steering of communication signals.
In the fourth sub-study, a fully wood-based Fresnel lens antenna for high-frequency THz applications was developed. The antennas were fabricated from combinations of nanocellulose and lignin-derived biochar. The study showed that wood-based antennas can achieve very high directivity and may even outperform comparable metallic reference antennas at high frequencies.
Overall, the doctoral research demonstrates that wood-based nanocellulose materials are not just an environmentally friendly alternative but can also provide genuinely new functional advantages for future telecommunications technologies. At the same time, the work highlights opportunities for the forest industry to develop higher-value products that generate greater added value from smaller amounts of raw material.
Created 27.10.2026 | Updated 27.10.2026