Transforming Wood into Smart Materials: Innovations in Processing and Application
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2025 | Viewed by 1224
Special Issue Editors
Interests: wood cell wall engineering; wood sponge; wood-based functional materials
Interests: bamboo structure and properties; bamboo cellulose; sustainable bamboo products
Interests: wood-based functional materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: wood modification; wood treatment; wood technology; roughness; natural fibres; biofuel production; composite materials; xylanases; pyrolysis; wood anatomy; lignocellulose degradation; renewable energy technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Historically, wood has played a foundational role in human civilization, serving as a primary material for building construction, furniture, and paper production. Its abundance, strength, and natural esthetics have made it indispensable for centuries. Recent advances in materials science have shifted attention toward unlocking wood’s potential far beyond conventional uses. By optimizing its hierarchically porous structure and introducing new functionalities through nanotechnological processes (e.g., biotemplating, modification, cell wall engineering, and functionalization), wood is now positioned as a versatile, high-performance material platform with vast potential in diverse fields, such as energy-efficient building, green electronics, and environmental remediation.
In this Special Issue, we will explore the latest advances in processing techniques, material modification strategies, and the functional applications of wood or bamboo, aiming to offer readers a comprehensive understanding of how these natural materials can evolve in response to technological progress. This theme aligns with the global emphasis on sustainability and the rising demand for renewable alternatives to fossil-based resources.
We encourage the submission of original research articles and review papers on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Processing and modification techniques: Novel methods for wood treatment, modification, and functionalization to enhance properties such as strength, thermal stability, and moisture resistance.
- Wood nanotechnologies: The integration of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies to create wood-based composites with advanced functionalities.
- Smart wood materials: Wood-based materials that exhibit adaptive, responsive, or “smart” functionalities, enabling applications in areas like environmental monitoring, sensing, and soft robotics.
- Sustainable wood and bamboo products: The role of wood- and bamboo-derived materials in creating environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
- Advanced characterization methods: Cutting-edge techniques for characterizing the structure and properties of wood or bamboo.
We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.
Dr. Hao Guan
Dr. Qiuqin Lin
Prof. Dr. Shanshan Jia
Dr. Monika Sarvašová Kvietková
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- smart wood material
- wood-based composite
- wood nanotechnology
- wood modification
- bamboo
- functionalization
- sustainability
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