Xihua Hu, M.Sc.
Research
Lignins derived from agricultural wastes using the second-generation biorefinery process are of great interest to the polymer industry, due to its sustainable nature and its added functionalities, such as antioxidant capacities. However, the heterogeneous structure of the isolated macromolecule lignin is not intrinsically compatible with all polymers. This work focuses on the investigation of polymer compatibility, targeted modification of lignin and the compounding process of the composites.
Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are widely known in the field of intelligent materials for diverse applications. By exceeding a substrate-specific transition zone, the solubility of the gel inside a certain medium is significantly changed, causing the gel to reversibly swell or collapse. This swelling behavior can be used for different purposes, if integrated into defined geometries. The goal is to conceptualize reactor setups, where the smart gels provide self-regulating features, which, in an ideal case, can substitute the process monitoring and control inside a smart reactor.
Teaching
- Practical course TVT: Adsorption (summer term)
Publications
- X. Hu, J. Karnetzke, M. Fassbender, S. Drücker, S. Bettermann, B. Schroeter, W. Pauer, H. Moritz, B. Fiedler, G. Luinstra, I. Smirnova
Smart reactors – Combining stimuli-responsive hydrogels and 3D printing
Chemical Engineering Journal, 2020, 387, 123413 - X. Hu, J. Gil-Chavez, A. Hadzi-Ristic, C. Kreft, C. Lim, C. Zetzl, I. Smirnova
Lignin from second-generation biorefinery for pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes
Biomass Conv. Bioref., 2019 - J. Gil-Chávez, P. Gurikov, X. Hu, R. Meyer, W. Reynolds, I. Smirnova
Application of novel and technical lignins in food and pharmaceutical industries: structure-function relationship and current challenges
Biomass Conv. Bioref., 2019 - R. Heils, X. Hu, A. Liese, I. Smirnova
In situ production and renewal of biocatalytic coatings for use in enzymatic reactive distillation
Chem. Eng. J., 2016, 306, 992-1000
Posters and presentations
- X. Hu, C. Spille, M. Schlüter, I. Smirnova
Smart Structures: Additive Manufacturing of Smart Materials for Adaptive Packings
ProcessNet-Fachgruppe Fluidverfahrenstechnik, Berchtesdagen, Germany, 2020 - X. Hu, I. Smirnova
Lignin aus Bioraffinerien basierend auf der Heißwasserhydrolyse und deren Nutzung in Polymercompounds (talk)
ProcessNet Jahrestagung, Aachen, Germany, 2018 - X. Hu, J. Karnetzke, M. Fassbender, S. Drücker, B. Fiedler, G. Luinstra, I. Smirnova
Intelligente Reaktoren: Kombination von Stimuli-Responsiven Hydrogele und 3D-Druck (poster)
ProcessNet Jahrestagung, Aachen, Germany, 2018 - X. Hu, I. Smirnova
Enzymatic Modification of Lignin from a Hydrothermal Biorefinery Concept and Use Thereof in Polymer Compounds (talk)
Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference, Helsinki, Finland, 2018 - A. Kazan, X. Hu, I. Smirnova, O. Yesil-Celiktas
Hydrolysis of ginsenoside Rb1: Comparison of conventional methods and immobilized enzyme microreactor (poster)
Lab-on-a-chip & Microfluidics, München, Germany, 2017 - R. Heils, X. Hu, A. Liese, I. Smirnova
Biokatalytische Reaktivrektifikation: In-situ-Beschichtung von strukturierten Packungen mit biokatalytischen Überzügen (talk)
ProcessNet Jahrestreffen der Fachgruppe Fluidverfahrenstechnik, Bremen, 2015