Volume 21 Issue 4

Scientific breakthroughs are not just limited to empirical observation and analytical prowess but remain at the forefront of imagination. Speculation and storytelling, hallmarks of imagination, may be powerful means for realizing scientific possibilities long before they become technological realities. In the process of envisioning a breakthrough, imagination can embolden researchers to go beyond existing paradigms and promote creativity into reality. Visionary daydreaming can often be key to catalyze breakthrough discoveries.

Recent oil price volatility and geopolitical uncertainty highlight the need for more resilient energy production models. This study examines the bioeconomy as a strategic framework to address instability in global energy and material supply chains. Historical and recent oil crises demonstrate how fluctuations in fuel markets disrupt industrial competitiveness, particularly in energy-intensive sectors, while propagating impacts across downstream value chains. The bioeconomy offers an alternative pathway through the valorization of biobased resources. Current estimates place its contribution at approximately 3.5 to 4% of global gross domestic product (GDP), with significant growth projected by 2050. However, expansion remains constrained by challenges related to technological scale-up, regulatory fragmentation, investment risk, and limited standardization. Regional analysis reveals heterogeneous development patterns, with strong potential in resource-rich regions such as Latin America to promote localized value creation and reduce external dependencies. Key strategic priorities include strengthening regional value chains, advancing scalable biorefinery platforms, improving regulatory coherence, and expanding investment frameworks. These measures position the bioeconomy as a critical component for enhancing energy security, increasing industrial resilience, and supporting sustainable economic development in conditions of global uncertainty.

Biomass is a naturally renewable resource with wide distribution and huge annual output.  It is the most abundant  renewable organic resource in the world. Biorefinery can be defined as a processing system that converts biomass into a full range of energy products and chemical materials through a series of physical, chemical, and biological conversion treatments. It provides a practical technical route for reducing global dependence on fossil energy, mitigating the greenhouse effect, and promoting the green transformation of the global chemical and energy industry. To fully utilize the components of biomass, the biorefinery process generally comprises complex processing units and procedures, which results in low production efficiency and high investment. Process integration and coupling can effectively streamline its procedures and reduce the number of processing units. This can greatly enhance its production efficiency and reduce investment, thus improving its process economy.  In recent years, a variety of innovative integration and coupling strategies have been developed in the biorefinery process. However, current process integration and coupling still face multiple practical challenges. This editorial will provide a brief discussion on the use of process integration and coupling in the biorefinery process.

For many years, laboratory testing has been the cornerstone of quality evaluation in the paper and corrugated board industry, supporting both material control and packaging design. However, growing production complexity and the need for faster technological decisions expose the limitations of traditional, time-intensive testing methods. This editorial explores the potential of artificial intelligence as a tool that can complement, rather than replace, classical approaches. Machine learning models are capable of estimating key strength parameters such as ECT and BCT, identifying anomalies, and supporting material selection based on process and environmental data. Nevertheless, their effectiveness depends strongly on data quality, and they cannot substitute for standardized tests required for validation and certification. It is argued that the most effective path forward is a hybrid model, combining the reliability of laboratory testing with the speed and predictive power of AI, leading to more efficient and informed decision-making.

Historical woods are one of the most important natural resources in the world. Known wood species used in the past can be an elementary key for understanding traditional communities or old societies, registering cultural expressions, and making strategies for forest conservation. In addition, this knowledge can contribute to cultural agencies’ efforts in heritage preservation. On the other hand, the megabiodiversity found in tropical regions, such as Brazil, can pose an important challenge to successfully identifying wood species. In the rainforests of many regions, more than 450 wood species can be found, including trees and shrub components. Of this total, more than 100 species are used for cultural heritage. This number is incredibly higher than the usual number for cultural use in temperate regions. It is likely that many cultural species are still unknown. This paper introduces the concept of a collection specialized in cultural woods as a new frontier for the historical anatomy of tropical areas.

The convergence or divergence of results for pH, yellowness, and mechanical strength were considered for papers from three old books. Good convergence was found for pH measurement results from the three books. The lack of convergence in some pH measurements between the surface method and the extraction–pH meter method may result from differences in pH of individual pages of old books, inherently lower pH values obtained using the surface methods, as well as from lower pH values measured in extracts of old papers prepared under hot conditions using a pH meter. Yellowness testing revealed overall good level of convergence between visual assessment and instrumental measurement (Elrepho 2000 apparatus). Strength tests indicated convergence between the results of the number of double folds (NDF) and tensile-after-six folds (TSF) tests, while divergence was observed when these methods were compared with the number of page turns (NPT) test. High NPT values may result from the papers of the examined books retaining yet relatively significant resistance to tensile and tearing stresses. Further research is needed to explain the relatively small damage to book pages in the NPT test in contrast to alarming results of the NDF and TSF tests.

To accurately elucidate the microscopic degradation characteristics and deterioration mechanisms of wooden components in traditional northern Chinese dwellings, this study investigated wooden components retrieved from the Ming-Qing residential building at No. 9, East Gate Lane, Gulian Village, Qi County, Shanxi Province. Polarized light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and histochemical staining techniques were employed to qualitatively assess the degradation degrees of cellulose and lignin in six wood species: elm, poplar, willow, birch, Chinese larch, and Chinese pine. Internal and external deterioration drivers were analyzed, and corresponding conservation strategies were proposed. The results showed that all tested wooden components exhibit moderate to severe chemical degradation. The deterioration of wooden components is synergistically driven by interspecific differences in natural decay resistance, rainwater erosion, ultraviolet radiation, building structural damage, and microbial infestation. Elm components are mainly attacked by white-rot fungi, while the other wood species are predominantly affected by soft-rot fungi. Poplar and willow are more susceptible to insect damage. This study provides a scientific basis and technical support for the microscopic diagnosis, precise restoration, and preventive conservation of Ming-Qing wooden architecture in the Jinzhong region.

Resin-inlaid wood is a material integration approach in which liquid resin is poured into cracks or structural cavities of wood and cured to form a composite structure. In recent years, this technique has attracted increasing attention in furniture and interior design due to the distinctive visual and tactile effects created by the contrast between resin and wood, inspiring numerous handcrafted and design-oriented works. However, systematic studies on resin-inlaid wood remain limited. This study reviews the material selection and processing procedures involved in resin-inlaid wood craftsmanship and analyzes its aesthetic characteristics from the perspectives of visual presentation, tactile contrast, structural expression, and emotional values. Representative household products are further examined through case analyses. In addition, a questionnaire survey based on the product semantics approach was conducted to explore participants’ preferences toward resin-inlaid wood products, providing references for the design application and future development of resin-inlaid wood in household products.

Kombucha pellicles (Kombucha microbial culture) were evaluated as a source of bacterial cellulose to use in the production of laminated wood material. The goal was to improve the mechanical properties. The Kombucha pellicles were produced at room temperature over an eight-week fermentation period, after which bacterial cellulose sheets approximately 1 mm thick were obtained by drying. These sheets were used in the production of laminated wood material together with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.), and Anatolian chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) wood species, utilizing urea formaldehyde, polyurethane, and polyvinyl acetate adhesives. To evaluate the mechanical properties, the following tests were applied: compressive strength parallel to the grain, adhesive strength, bending strength, and modulus of elasticity in bending. The findings revealed that although bacterial cellulose displayed a mechanically strong structure, overall mechanical performance did not reach the desired level due to insufficient adhesion between lamina layers. The results indicated that further research is needed to improve structural compatibility and adhesion mechanisms for the use of this material in advanced mechanical applications.

Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris) specimens were thermally modified using the rectification method and subsequently exposed to air-plasma under atmospheric pressure for 5 and 7 min. The water contact angle and CIELAB color parameters, including lightness (L*), red–green (a*), and yellow–blue (b*) coordinates, were measured. The results showed that plasma treatment decreased L*, particularly in thermally modified wood, while inducing a slight decrease in untreated wood. The b* value gradually increased in untreated samples, whereas thermally modified specimens exhibited pronounced increases in both a* and b*. Analysis of variance revealed that wood type, plasma exposure time, and their interaction had statistically significant effects on all three-color parameters. Plasma treatment markedly reduced the water contact angle in both solid pine and thermo-wood samples, demonstrating enhanced surface wettability. The strongest effect was observed in thermo wood exposed to plasma for 7 min, which exhibited the lowest contact angle and the highest level of hydrophilicity among all treatments. FTIR spectroscopy indicated a gradual reduction of hydroxyl groups and ester carbonyls in hemicellulose and an accumulation of polymerized lignin caused by thermal modification, alongside partial degradation of polar groups, surface activation, and the formation of new carbonyl functionalities.