Studies
Forest Products Chemistry - teaching
The chemists in the forest products area have a significant role in the modern process technology. The knowledge in chemical reactions and in physical chemistry is needed to understand the unit processes of forest products production. Especially modern ecological less water and chemicals consuming industry is demanding high-level knowledge in chemical phenomenons.
Black liquor has been traditionally studied to develop by-products. The best known these kind of products are tall oil soap, tall oil and sitosterol. Other high tech products refined by chemists are xylitol from birch, cellulose derivatives like viscose, rayon and cellophane. The "tailoring" of wood fibre surfaces for special papers has recently become more and more important task. The graduating chemist from the department of Forest Products will develop more ecological processes and refine new innovative main and by-products.
Forest Products Chemistry is focusing on wood chemistry, analytical chemistry of wood components and surface and colloid chemistry in forest products technology. Education covers almost totally the area of forest products chemistry and physical chemistry of forest products. Studies contain lectures and practical exercising works. The teaching professors have a strong background in teaching and in research. Visiting research scientists complements the lectures. Studying is including also working experience in the forest products industry or research centre. Well-paid jobs can be find from Finland and other countries. Graduated Masters of Science are employed for research, developing and managing tasks.
In the new degree structure the Forest Products Chemistry can be taken as an advanced module (20cr). There is also special module(20 cr) for the students studying at the department of Chemical Technology. In the laboratory, the M.Sc. theses are usually done co-operating with forest industry. Recently the theses are also done directly for industry.