Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation (CLSF)

Director
Daniel Cosgrove
Lead Institution
Pennsylvania State University
Class
2009-2022
Mission
To develop a nano- to meso-scale understanding of cellulosic cell walls, the energy-rich structural material in plants, and the physical mechanisms of wall assembly, forming the foundation for new technologies in sustainable energy and novel biomaterials.
Research Topics
catalysis (heterogeneous), polymer upcycling, biomass and biofuels, bio-inspired, defects, mechanical behavior, separations, membranes, water, mesoscale science, materials and chemistry by design, mesostructured materials, synthesis (novel systems), synthesis (self-assembly), synthesis (predictive)
Systems Studied
Systems: polymer, molecules, cellulose, biological, porous
Interfaces: organic/organic, liquid/solid
Nanostructured: 1D, 2D, 3D
Experimental and Theoretical Methods
X-ray diffraction and scattering, X-ray spectroscopy, neutron diffraction and scattering, neutron spectroscopy, electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, near-field microscopy, surface science, molecular dynamics (MD), density functional theory (DFT), finite element methods, continuum modeling, mesoscale modeling, multiscale modeling

Partner Institutions
- Cambridge University
- Louisiana State University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- North Carolina State University
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Rhode Island
- University of Texas at El Paso
- University of Virginia