Alexander Idström, PhD student at Applied Surface Chemistry, Chalmers.

Research interests: Solid-State NMR, Liquid-State NMR

Alexander wrote his Master Thesis at Astrazeneca R&D, Mölndal and acquired a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in 2010. He started his research studies at Applied Surface Chemistry in November 2010. The main focus is to study the phenomenon of hornification, between, and inside, cellulose fibrils, with the use of solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Hornification occurs in e.g. chemical pulp when subjecting the samples for drying and wetting cycles. The pores between the cellulose chains, that in wet form are wide, collapse when the sample is dried. However, after sequential wetting some pores are not returning to their original state. The properties of the sample, e.g. water retention have changed.

The PhD position is a collaboration between Chalmers and Södra Cell, whom are interested in the understanding of this phenomenon, the causes of it and potential ways of controlling it. Most of the research is conducted on the Swedish NMR Center in Göteborg.