Dr. Han Tao

Han started his research career by studying a challenging topic, end-wise modification of cellulose nanocrystals, precisely mounting functional groups onto one end of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The end-wisely modified CNCs were covalently incorporated into a rubber matrix, effectively enhancing the mechanical performance of the otherwise soft material. Following the interest in cellulose, Han pursued his PhD degree in Prof. Eero Kontturi’s group at Aalto University. Han became interested in how CNCs self-assemble into beautiful chiral structures. He showed how this self-assembly can be controlled in aqueous two-phase systems and later used cholesteric CNC films to build plasmonic metasurfaces, enabling strong chiroptical properties. Through these curiosity-driven research projects, Han developed a broad interest in understanding the intrinsic properties of cellulose crystals and translating them into functional materials.

But now, his research focus has moved back toward one of the longstanding challenges in the field: developing sustainable and scalable methods for producing CNCs.

Han is also interested in unlocking the intrinsic functionalities of cellulose crystals beyond their tensile strength and chirality. He aims to transform cellulose into new classes of functional materials, including electronically conductive cellulose building blocks for sustainable electronics, biointerfaces, and photonic materials.

I am particularly interested in:

• Chiral self-assembly of CNCs
• Developing sustainable and scalable methods for producing CNCs.
• Unlocking the intrinsic functionalities of cellulose crystals beyond their traditional high tensile properties and chirality.