Orlando Rojas

Orlando Rojas is a Visiting Professor at Aalto University's Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems. He leads the BiCMat research group, focusing on interdisciplinary studies of biobased materials at micro/nano scales.

Research interests include

• Surface chemistry of biopolymers
• Nanocellulose and lignin-based colloids
• Soft matter and polymer physics
• Biocomposite design
• Enzymatic and spectroscopic material characterization

Recent publications reveal trends in biomaterials engineering, with applications spanning textile recycling, agricultural delivery systems, biomedical hydrogels, environmental water harvesting, and supramolecular foam structures.

Scientific recognition includes

• Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2013)
• Divisional Service Award (ACS, 2009)
• Foreign Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters (2017)
• Imerys FiberLean Prize (2015)
• Nanotechnology Division Award (TAPPI, 2015)
• Best Paper Award (Bioresource Technology, 2015)

His lab investigates biobased colloids and materials, employing advanced techniques like AFM, surface plasmon resonance, and spectroscopy for characterizing nanocellulose, lignin particles, and biopolymer assemblies. Current projects explore functional materials for environmental and medical applications.