
Prof. Orlando Rojas works toward supporting global sustainable development through research on the fundamental and utilization aspects of renewable resources, including lignocellulose, proteins and other biopolymers. His research aims to discover competitive alternatives for fossil materials. Specific research interests include:
· Nanopolysaccharides (based on cellulose, chitin, starches and others)
· Bacterial nanocelluloses
· Cellulose derivatives
· Lignins, colloidal lignins, nanolignins and their uses
· Renewable biopolymers (hemicelluloses, proteins, chitin and chitosan, alginates and others)
· Multiphase systems (emulsions, foams, dispersed systems), gels, aerogels
· Films, filaments and hybrid materials
· Nanocomposites
· Bioactive systems
· Fiber processing
· Pulp and paper
PUBLICATIONS IN 2020
Ge W., Cao S., Yang Y., Rojas O.J., Wang X., Nanocellulose/LiCl Systems Enable Conductive and Stretchable Electrolyte Hydrogels with Tolerance to Dehydration and Extreme Cold Conditions, Chemical Engineering Journal, Accepted. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.127306
Niu X., Huan S.Q., Li H.M., Pan H., Rojas O.J., Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 402, 124073 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073
Nugroho R.W.N., Outinen M., Toikkanen O., Heino A., Sawada D., Rojas O.J., Effect of water activity on the functional, colloidal, physical, and microstructural properties of infant formula powder, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Accepted. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.10.069
Borrero-López A.M., Wang W., Valencia C., Franco J.M., Rojas O.J., Lignin effects in castor oil-based elastomers and new limits in their rheological and cushioning behavior, Composites Science and Technology, Accepted. DOI:
Zambrano F., Wang Y., Zwilling J.D., Venditti R.A., Jameel H., Rojas O.J., Gonzalez R., Micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose from virgin and recycled fibers: A comparative study of its effects on the properties of hygiene tissue paper, Carbohydrate Polymers, 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117430
Shi X., Yazdani M.R., Ajdary R., Rojas O.J., Leakage-proof microencapsulation of phase change materials by emulsification with acetylated cellulose nanofibrils, Carbohydrate Polymers, 254, 117430 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117279
Guo S., Li X., Kuang Y., Liao J., Li J., Mo L., He S., Zhu W., Song J., Song T., Rojas O.J., Residual Lignin in Cellulose Nanofibrils Enhances the Interfacial Stabilization of Pickering Emulsions, Carbohydrate Polymers, 253, 117223 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117223
Lehtonen J., Chen X., Beaumont M., Hassinen J., Orelma H., Dumée L.F., Tardy B.L., Rojas O.J., Impact of incubation conditions and post-treatment on the properties of bacterial cellulose membranes for pressure-driven filtration, Cellulose, 251, 117073 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117073
Lv S., Zhou H., Bai L., Rojas O.J., McClements D.J., Development of food-grade Pickering emulsions stabilized by a mixture of cellulose nanofibrils and nanochitin, Food Hydrocolloids, Accepted. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2020.106451
Zhou H., Dai T., Liu J., Tan Y., Bai L., Rojas O.J., McClements D.J., Chitin Nanocrystals Reduce Lipid Digestion and β-Carotene Bioaccessibility: An In-Vitro INFOGEST Gastrointestinal Study, Food Hydrocolloids, Accepted. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2020.106494
Hokkanen S.P., Partanen R., Jukkola A., Frey A.D., Rojas O.J., Partitioning of the milk fat globule membrane between buttermilk and butter serum is determined by the thermal behaviour of the fat globules, International Dairy Journal, 112, 104863 (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2020.104863
Tardy B.L., Richardson J.J., Greca L.G., Guo J., Ejima H., Rojas O.J., Exploiting supramolecular interactions from polymeric colloids for strong anisotropic adhesion between solid surfaces, Advanced Materials, 1906886 (2020). DOI: 10.1002/adma.201906886
Ajdary R., Tardy B.L., Mattos B.D., Bai L., Rojas O.J., Plant Nanomaterials and Inspiration from Nature: Water Interactions and Hierarchically-Structured Hydrogels, Advanced Materials, 2001085 (2020). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001085
Ferreira F.V., Otoni C.G., De France K.J., Barud H.S. Lona L.M.F, Cranston E., Rojas O.J., Porous nanocellulose gels and foams: breakthrough status in the development of scaffolds for tissue engineering, Materials Today, 37, 126-141 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2020.03.003
Mattos B.D., Tardy B.L., Greca L.G., Kämäräinen T., Xiang W., Cusola O., Magalhães W.L.E., Rojas O.J., Nanofibrillar networks enable universal assembly of superstructured particle constructs, Science Advances, 6, eaaz7328 (2020). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz7328
Ajdary R., Ezazi N.Z., Correia A., Kemell M., Huan S., Ruskoaho H.J., Hirvonen J., Santos H.A., Rojas O.J., Multifunctional 3D-printed patches for long-term drug release therapies after myocardial infarction, Advanced Functional Materials, 202003440 (2020). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202003440
Bai L., Huan S., Zhao B., Zhu Y., Esquena J., Chen F., Gao G., Zussman E., Chu G., Rojas O.J., All-Aqueous Liquid Crystal Nanocellulose Emulsions with Permeable Interfacial Assembly, ACS Nano, 14, 13380-13390 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05251
Greca L.G., Rafiee M., Karakoç A., Lehtonen J., Mattos B., Tardy B., Rojas O.J., Guiding Bacterial Activity for Biofabrication of Complex Materials via Controlled Wetting of Superhydrophobic Surfaces, ACS Nano, 14, 12929–12937 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c03999
Bai L., Kämäräinen T., Xiang W., Majoinen J., Seitsonen J., Grande R., Huan S., Liu L., Fan Y., Rojas O.J., Chirality from Cryo-Electron Tomograms of Nanocrystals Obtained by Lateral Disassembly and Surface Etching of Never-Dried Chitin, ACS Nano, 14, 6921–6930 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c01327
Solin K., Beaumont M., Rosenfeldt S., Orelma H., Borghei M., Bacher M., Opietnik M., Rojas O.J. Self-Assembly of Soft Cellulose Nanospheres into Colloidal Gel Layers with Enhanced Protein Adsorption Capability for Next-Generation Immunoassays, Accepted, Small, 2004702 (2020). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202004702
Ezazi N.Z., Ajdary R., Correia A., Mäkilä E., Salonen J., Kemell M., Hirvonen J., Rojas O.J., Ruskoaho H.J., Santos H.A., Fabrication and characterization of drug-loaded conductive poly(glycerol sebacate)/nanoparticle based composite patch for myocardial infarction applications, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12, 6899-6909 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b21066
Zhu Y., Huan S., Bai L., Ketola A., Shi X., Zhang X., Ketoja J.A., Rojas O.J, High Internal Phase Oil-in-Water Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Chitin Nanofibrils: 3D Structuring and Solid Foam, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12, 11240-11251 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b23430
Solin K., Borghei M., Sel O., Orelma H., Johansson L-S., Perrot H., Rojas O.J., Electrically-Conductive Thin Films Based on Nanofibrillated Cellulose: Interactions with Water and Applications in Humidity Sensing, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12, 36437–36448 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c09997
Lavoie J., Rojas O.J., Khan S.A., Shim E., Migration Effects of Fluorochemical Melt Additives for Alcohol Repellency in Polypropylene Nonwoven Materials, ACS Applied Matererial and Interfaces 12, 36787–36798, (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c10144
Österberg M., Sipponen M.H., Mattos B.D., Rojas O.J., Spherical lignin particles: A review on their sustainability and applications, Green Chemistry, 22, 2712-2733 (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0GC00096E
Balakshin M., Capanema E.A, Zhu X., Sulaeva I., Potthast A., Rosenau T., Rojas O.J., Spruce Milled Wood Lignin: Linear, Branched or Cross-linked? Green Chemistry, 22, 3985-4001 (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0GC00926A
Wang L., Borghei M., Ishaq A., Lahtinen P., Ago M., Papageorgiou A.; Lundahl M., Johansson L.-S., Kallio T., Rojas O.J., Mesoporous carbon microfibers for electroactive materials derived from lignocellulose nanofibrils, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8, 8549–8561 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c00764
Grande R., Bai L., Wang L., Xiang W., Ikkala O., Carvalho A.F.K., Rojas O.J., Nanochitins of varying aspect ratio and properties of microfibers produced by interfacial complexation with seaweed alginate, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8, 1137-1145 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06099
Lourençon T.V., Greca L.G., Tarasov D., Borrega M., Tamminen T., Rojas O.J., Balakshin M.Y., Lignin-first integrated hydrothermal treatment (HTT) and synthesis of low-cost biorefinery particles, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8, 1230-1239 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06511.
Meng Y., Majoinen J., Zhao B., Rojas O.J., Form-Stable Phase Change Materials from Mesoporous Balsa after Selective Removal of Lignin, Composites B, 199, 108296 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108296
Kämäräinen T., Tardy B.L., Nikkhah S.J., Batys P., Sammalkorpi M., Rojas O.J., Effect of particle surface corrugation on their colloidal interactions, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 579, 794-804 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.06.082
Gonzalez-Vogel A., Rojas O.J., Exploiting electroconvective vortices in electrodialysis with high-frequency asymmetric bipolar pulses for desalination in overlimiting current regimes, Desalination, 474, 114190 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2019.114190
Zhou H., Tan Y., Lv S., Liu J., Muriel Mundo J.L., Bai L., Rojas O.J., McClements D.J., Nanochitin-Stabilized Pickering Emulsions: Influence of Nanochitin on Lipid Digestibility and Vitamin Bioaccessibility, Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105878 (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2020.105878
Reyes-Torres G., Lundahl M.J., Alejandro-Martín S., Arteaga-Pérez, L.E., Oviedo C., King A.W.T., Rojas O.J., Coaxial spinning of all-cellulose systems for enhanced toughness: filaments of oxidized nanofibrils sheathed in cellulose II regenerated from a protic ionic liquid, Biomacromolecules, 21, 878-891 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01559
Chu, G., Vasilyev, G., Qu, D., Deng, S., Long B., Rojas O.J., Zussman E., Structural Arrest and Phase Transition in Glassy Nanocellulose Colloids, Langmuir, 36, 979-985 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b03570
Ketola A.E. Xiang W., Hjelt T. Pajari H., Tammelin T. Rojas O.J., Ketoja J.A., Bubble attachment to cellulose and silica surfaces of varied surface energies: wetting transition and implications in foam forming, Langmuir, 36, 7296–7308 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00682
Borrega M., Päärnilä S., Greca L.G., Jääskeläinen A.-S., Ohra-aho T., Rojas O.J., Tamminen T., Morphological and wettability properties of thin coating films produced from technical lignins, Langmuir, 36, 9675–9684 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00826
Facchine E.G., Jin S-A., Spontak R.J., Khan S.A., Rojas O.J., Quantitative Calorimetric Studies of the Chiral Nematic Mesophase in Aqueous Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspensions, Langmuir, 36, 36, 10830 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c01871
Facchine E.G., Spontak R.J., Rojas O.J., Khan S.A., Shear-dependent Structures of Flocculated Micro/Nanofibrillated Cellulose (MFNC) in Aqueous Suspensions, Biomacromolecules, 21, 3561–3570 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00586
Zhang X., Morits M., Jonkergouw C., Ora A., Valle-Delgado J.J., Muhammad F., Ajdary R., Huan S., Linder M., Rojas O.J., Sipponen M.H., Österberg M., Three-Dimensional Printed Cell Culture Model Based on Spherical Colloidal Lignin Particles and Cellulose Nanofibril-Alginate Hydrogel, Biomacromolecules, 21, 1875–1885 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01745
Missio A.L., Mattos B.D., Otoni C.G., Gentil M., Coldebella R., Khakalo A., Gatto D.A., Rojas O.J. Co-grinding wood fibers and tannins: Surfactant effects on the interactions and properties of functional films for sustainable packaging materials, Biomacromolecules, 21, 1865–1874 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01733
Imani M., Dimic-Misic K., Tavakoli M., Rojas O.J., Gane P.A.C., Coupled Effects of Fibril Width, Residual and Mechanically-Liberated Lignin on the Flow, Viscoelasticity and Dewatering of Cellulosic Nanomaterials, Biomacromolecules, 21, 10, 4123–4134 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00918
Zhang Y., Wang X., Wang P., Song J., Jin Y., Rojas O.J., Interactions between type A carbohydrate binding modules and cellulose studied with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. Cellulose, 27, 3661–3675 (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10570-020-03070-4
Lehtonen J., Hassinen J., Kumar A.A., Johansson L.-S., Mäenpää R., Pahimanolis N., Pradeep T., Ikkala O., Rojas O.J., Phosphorylated cellulose nanofibers exhibit exceptional capacity for uranium capture, Cellulose, Accepted, (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10570-020-02971-8
Haque A.N.M.A., Remadevi R., Rojas O.J., Wang X., Naebe M., Kinetics and equilibrium adsorption of methylene blue onto cotton gin trash bioadsorbents, Cellulose, 27, 6485–6504 (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10570-020-03238-y
Zhou H., Lv S., Liu J., Tan Y., Muriel Mundo J.L., Bai L., Rojas O.J., McClements D.J., Modulation of Physicochemical Characteristics of Pickering Emulsions: Utilization of Nanocellulose and Nanochitin-coated Lipid Droplet Blends, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68, 603-611 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b06846
Corder R.D., Adhikari P., Burroughs M.C., Rojas O.J., Khan S.A., Cellulose Nanocrystals for Gelation and Percolation-induced Reinforcement of a Photocurable Poly (vinyl alcohol) Derivative, Soft Matter 16, 8602-8611 (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0SM01376E
Wang L., Ezazi N.Z., Liu L., Ajdary R., Xiang W., Borghei M., Santos H.A., Rojas O.J., Microfibers Synthesized by Wet-Spinning of Chitin Nanomaterials: Mechanical, Structural and Cell Proliferation Properties, RSC Advances, 10, 29450 (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0RA06178F
Otoni C., Queirós M., Sabadini J., Rojas O.J., Loh W., Charge matters: electrostatic complexation as a green approach to assemble advanced functional materials, ACS Omega, 5, 1296-1304 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03690
Karakoç A., Rastogi V.K., Isoaho T., Tardy B., Paltakari J., Rojas O.J., Comparative screening of the structural and thermomechanical properties of FDM filaments comprising thermoplastics loaded with cellulose, carbon and glass fibers, Materials 13, 422 (2020). DOI: 10.3390/ma13020422
Johansson1 L.-S., Campbell J.M., Rojas O.J., Cellulose as the in-situ reference for organic XPS. Why? Because it works, Surface and Interface Analysis, Accepted (2020). DOI: 10.1002/sia.6759
Yan J., Yang H., da Silva J.C., Rojas O.J., Loading of iron (II, III) oxide nanoparticles in cryogels based on microfibrillar cellulose for heavy metal ion separation, Advances in Polymer Technology, 9261378 (2020). DOI: 10.1155/2020/9261378
Zambrano F., Starkey H., Wang Y., Abbati de Assis C., Venditti R., Pal L., Jameel H., Hubbe M.A., Rojas O.J., Gonzalez, R., Using micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose as a means to reduce weight of paper products: A review, BioResources, 15, 4553-4590 (2020). DOI: BioRes_15_2_7691
Molina-Ramírez C., Castro M., Osorio M., Torres-Taborda M., Gómez B., Zuluaga, R., Gómez C., Gañán P., Rojas O.J., Castro C. Effect of Different Carbon Sources on Bacterial Nanocellulose Production and Structure Using the Low pH Resistant Strain Komagataeibacter Medellinensis, Materials, 10, 639 (2020). DOI: 10.3390/ma10060639
PATENTS
- Tripathi A., Khan, S.A., Rojas O.J., Parsons G.N., Steach J.K., Witt J.S., Islam B., Goodrich J.D.: WO2017127828 (A1) ― 2017-01-23 Cellulose acetate aerogels
- Hall L.J., Deville J.P., Rojas O.J., Carrillo C.A., Salas C.L.: WO2016099537 (A1) ― 2016-06-23 Additive of chemically-modified cellulose nanofibrils or cellulose nanocrystals.
- Hall L.J., Deville J.P., Rojas O.J., Carrillo C.A., Salas C.L.: WO2016099534 (A1) ― 2016-06-23 Additive of cellulose nanofibrils or nanocrystals and a second polymer.
RESEARCH RECORDS
Scopus ID: 7006924191
Researcher ID O-2890-2014
AWARDS
- 2018 Anselme Payen Award
- 2018 Recipient of the Act of the Year
- 2018 EU Commission ERC Advanced grant recipient
- 2018 FinnCERES Finnish Bioeconomy Flagship
- 2017 Elected member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters
- 2017 Chair, Materials Platform, Aalto University
- 2017 Weaver Distinguished Lecturer of Auburn University
- 2017 Invited Visiting Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
- 2017 Top ten author during the last 5 years in ACS’ journal Biomacromolecules.
- 2017 Invited speaker of the Royal Society, “New Horizons for Nanocellulose Technology”
- 2016 Fibrenamics Award, University on Minho, Portugal
- 2014 Co-director, Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence Program “Molecular Engineering of Biosynthetic Hybrid Materials Research” (2014-2019), Aalto Univ.
Professional memberships
Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Canadian Society for Chemistry
Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry