Anna Sandak

Anna Sandak
InnoRenew CoE · Materials

PhD
engineered living materials, bioinspired materials design

About

273
Publications
80,801
Reads
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1,919
Citations
Introduction
Anna is the Head of the Materials Department and deputy director for science at the Centre of Excellence InnoRenew CoE. She is an associate professor and research associate at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Science and Information Technology at University of Primorska. She was previously employed at Trees and Timber Institute of Italian National Research Council, where she coordinated the Laboratory of Surface Characterization.
Additional affiliations
January 2023 - present
University of Primorska
Position
  • Associate Professor
September 2018 - April 2023
InnoRenew CoE
Position
  • Group Leader
September 2018 - present
University of Primorska
Position
  • Professor (Associate)

Publications

Publications (273)
Article
Full-text available
The self-healing bioconcrete, or bioconcrete as concrete containing microorganisms with self-healing capacities, presents a transformative strategy to extend the service life of concrete structures. This technology harnesses the biological capabilities of specific microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, which are integral to the material's capa...
Article
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The goal of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the natural weathering performance of three wood species representing hardwood and softwood modified with the acetylation process. Alder (Alnus glutinosa L.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), and radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) were characterised by various techniques to determine the aesthetical...
Article
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Understanding the atomic-scale structure of wood microfibrils is essential for establishing fundamental properties in various wood-based research aspects, including moisture impact, wood modification, and pretreatment. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the arrangement of wood polymers, including cellulose, hem...
Article
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Biofinish is an innovative wood protection system inspired by biological processes. It enhances the hydrophobicity of wood through oil treatment, resulting in improved dimensional stability. Living cells of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans effectively protect wood from deterioration caused by other decaying fungi. The melanin pigment produced by...
Article
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Surfaces of exposed materials are affected by biotic and abiotic degradation processes. They often are protected by architectural coatings that not only provide a decorative layer but also enhance integrity of the material structure. Common surface treatments often include mineral oil binders and other ingredients that are known to have a negative...
Book
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III Congreso Ibero-Latinoamericano MAD de la Madera en la Construcción (CIMAD 24) : Libro de Actas de Resúmenes Extendidos
Article
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Systems found in nature are a valuable source of inspiration for several applications. Scientists and researchers from different fields (structural engineering, robotics, medicine, and materials science) use the concepts of biomimicking, biomimetics, and bioinspiration. More recently the possibility to benefit from solutions developed by nature has...
Article
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Recent advancements in wood modification aim to enhance the inherent qualities of this versatile biological material, which includes renewability, ease of processing, and thermal insulation. This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of lignin as a protective agent for less durable wood species, namely, Pinus nigra and Fagus sylvatica L. Th...
Article
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Materials exposed to the outdoors are prone to various deterioration processes. Architectural coatings are designed to protect surfaces against environmental and biotic degradation and to provide a decorative layer. The objective of this work was to examine the early colonisers on a diverse set of coated and non-coated biobased façade materials. A...
Article
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The emotional stance of the instructor in an educational video can influence the learning process. For this reason, we checked the first link of the cognitive-affective model of e-learning, namely, whether learners can recognize emotions that an instructor expresses only with their voice. Since English is not the native language for many learners a...
Presentation
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DENDRO-0SPEC to międzynarodowy projekt badawczy o numerze 2021/43/I/NZ9/02809, który uzyskał finasowanie z Narodowego Centrum Nauki w ramach konkursu „OPUS 22 – LAP/WEAVE”. Liderem projektu jest Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie w tym Instytut Nauk Drzewnych i Meblarstwa oraz Instytut Nauk Leśnych, a partnerami są: Instytut Dendrolo...
Article
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Natural weathering test at two different European climatic zones were conducted to investigate simultaneously both, the fungal colonisation and weathering process of Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.). The hypothesis was that the wood performing differently in various climate conditions might affect fungal infestation. The colour changes, wettab...
Article
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Colloidal lignin particles (CLPs) from softwood kraft lignin were evaluated as a multifunctional ingredient to prepare bio-based oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions. After a preliminary screening, three Pickering emulsions systems were formulated using orange, coconut, and paraffin oils, at varying concentration of CLPs, oil/water ratio, and by...
Article
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The morphology control of lignin through particle size reduction to nanoscale seems to be a suitable conversion technology to overcome the intrinsic limitations of its native form to develop a wide range of biomaterials with high performance. Colloidal lignin particles (CLPs) in the range of 150–200 nm were synthesised from hardwood and softwood kr...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
The shift to using renewable materials is essential to help create a sustainable future on a planet with limited resources. Research and innovations in wood science are greatly improving, but findings need to reach the widest possible audience so they can be used in practice and benefit us all. Learning through watching online videos has become ubi...
Article
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Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows for the rapid estimation of a wide range of wood properties. Typically, NIRS studies on wood have utilized benchtop spectrometers, but efforts to utilize NIR hyperspectral imaging to examine wood and wood products have increased. Compared to benchtop NIR systems, hyperspectral imaging has several advantages...
Article
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Heterogeneity of kraft lignin is one of the main limitations for the development of high-performance applications. Therefore, refining lignin using organic solvents is a promising strategy to obtain homogenous fractions with controlled quality in terms of structure and properties. In this work, one-step refining processes for hardwood kraft lignin...
Article
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Mass timber construction systems, incorporating engineered wood products as structural elements, are gaining acceptance as a sustainable alternative to multi-story concrete or steel-frame structures. The relative novelty of these systems brings uncertainties on whether these buildings perform long-term as expected. Consequently, several structural...
Book
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The COST Action 19145 “European Network for Assuring Food Integrity using Non-destructive Spectral Sensors”, in collaboration with the InnoRenew CoE and the University of Primorska, organized the 1st sensorFINT International Conference dedicated to “Non-Destructive Spectral Sensors Advances and Future Trends” on 10-12 May 2022 in Izola, Slovenia. T...
Poster
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Non-destructive spectroscopic sensors (NDSS) are an innovative and highly useful group of tools that have a potential to considerably improve the food industry. Research and development are reaching the point where these laboratory-bound technologies can be implemented directly in the field, allowing the industry to apply them and put them into pra...
Article
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This study aims to characterize and valorize hemp residual biomass by a slow pyrolysis process. The volatile by-products of hemp carbonization were characterized by several methods (TGA, UV-VIS, TLC, Flash Prep-LC, UHPLC, QTOF-MS) to understand the pyrolysis reaction mechanisms and to identify the chemical products produced during the process. The...
Article
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Research examining teachers' attitudes toward gamification is scarce, although attitudes play a critical role in implementing a new pedagogical approach. The aim of this study was to understand whether Slovenian educators are familiar with the concept of gamification, whether they have experience using it, and what their attitudes are towards its u...
Article
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Oleoresin samples collected directly from living-trees by three different tapping methods, and from four geographical origins were analyzed using two gas chromatography (GC) methods. The GC was coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) for quantification, and to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for identifying the chemical composition. Twenty-eigh...
Article
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Despite the popularity of gamification among academics due to its propensity to promote student motivation, engagement, and behavioral change, its use in formal education is still limited. We reached out to educators at all levels to examine their experience, attitude, familiarity with gamified teaching, and their personality, to see if teachers’ p...
Book
Full-text available
This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Wood Modification: Characterization, Modelling and Applications that was published in Coatings
Article
The feasibility of a portable NIR sensor for off-line determination of diverse wood quality aspects relevant in the production of glue-laminated timber was demonstrated. The best performance was noticed for assessing wood moisture content, with a lower capacity to estimate wood density and mechanical properties. NIR spectroscopy was modestly capabl...
Book
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Preface We are pleased to welcome you to the third conference meeting of COST Action CA16226: "Indoor living space improvement: Smart habitat for the elderly" (Sheldon), which follows a hard period of distant joint work, along with some short-term scientific missions, and physical networking carried out early in 2021. It is the third time participa...
Article
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Daily consumption of synthetic sunscreens is harmful to the environment and consumers’ health, so greener alternatives need to be produced. Lignin is a multifunctional and widely available biopolymer that can replace several ingredients, but its dark color and low sun protection limit its perceived usefulness. With a survey made for this study, we...
Conference Paper
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Oriented investigations on the application of NIR spectroscopy for the evaluation of the bonding quality of glued laminated timber Peter Niemz1) Jakub Sandak2), Juana Mai3), and Andreas Hänsel3) 1) ETH Zürich, Stefano-Franscini –Platz 3, CH 8093 Zürich and University in Skelleftea/Sweden 2) InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia and Univers...
Article
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Wood has been recognized as an attractive alternative to several other traditional construction solutions, and it is often called the “building material of the 21st century” [...]
Article
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The service life performance of timber products exposed to natural weathering is a critical factor limiting the broad use of wood as an external building element. The goal of this study was to investigate the in-service characterization of an innovative biofinish coating system. It is a novel surface finishing solution based on the bioinspired conc...
Article
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Wood, as a biological material, is sensitive to environmental conditions and microorganisms; therefore, wood products require protective measures to extend their service life in outdoor applications. Several modification processes are available for the improvement of wood properties, including commercially available solutions. Among the chemical tr...
Article
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Various factors affect the bonding quality of elements used for timber construction. This review includes literature studies and personal experiences related to relevant technological variables defining glue bond performance in glue-laminated timber elements during their service life. The gluing of hardwood species receives special focus as it is c...
Article
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Gasification with supercritical water is an efficient process that can be used for the valorization of biomass. Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer in biomass and its conversion is fundamental for future energy and value-added chemicals. In this paper, the supercritical water gasification process of lignin by employing reactive force fiel...
Article
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Arctic driftwood has reached the coast of Iceland for centuries. This material was used by the inhabitants of the island as a building material for houses, boats, churches and pasture fences. Nowadays, the driftwood is used in the furniture industry, for the finishing of internal and external walls of buildings and also by artists. The properties o...
Book
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The Italian Society for Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (SISNIR), in collaboration with the InnoRenew CoE and the University of Primorska, organized the National Symposium of NIR Spectroscopy. The event entitled ‘NIRITALIA online, waiting for Slovenia 2022’ was held on 24-25 February 2021. There were 26 oral presentations and 9 poster presentations in s...
Article
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Advanced imaging techniques can noninvasively characterise, monitor, and evaluate how conservation treatments affect cultural heritage objects. In this specific field, hyperspectral imaging allows nondestructive characterisation of materials by identifying and characterising colouring agents, binders, and protective coatings as components of an obj...
Article
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Kraft lignin, an industrially available by-product from the pulp and paper industry, has revealed enormous potential to be valorised into a wide range of chemicals and biomaterials in the last two decades. However, the understanding of lignin chemistry remains challenging due to its chemical complexity. The goal of this work was to investigate the...
Article
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The function of altering weathering factors and degradation mechanisms are essential for understanding the weathering process of materials. The goal of this work was to develop a method for the acceleration of natural weathering and to investigate the molecular, microstructure and macrostructure degradation of wood caused by the process. Tests were...
Article
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Sustainable approaches for retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency are becoming necessary in a time when the building sector is the largest energy consumer. Retrofitting building stock is effective for reducing global energy consumption and decreasing resource exploitation. Less developed EU member states and neighboring developing countries s...
Article
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Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the interaction of cellulose and lignin with acetic anhydride for explaining the wood modification process. Cellulose was modelled with a cellobiose unit and dibenzodioxocin was used to represent the lignin model. Results obtained from both methods...
Article
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Understanding mechanisms of materials deterioration during service life is fundamental for their confident use in the building sector. This work presents analysis of time series of data related to wood weathering acquired at three scales (molecular, microscopic, macroscopic) with different sensors. By using several complementary techniques, the mat...
Article
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Wood protection through chemical modification has received increasing interest over the last decades due to the environmental issues related to conventional biocides or protecting products. Consequently, a wide range of new treatments are developed in laboratories, which are later scaled up in the industrial environment. The main goal of modifying...
Article
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Refining of industrial lignin to produce homogeneous fractions is essential for high-value applications. However, the understanding of key interactions between a variety of solvents with lignin polymer is still uncertain. In this work, single-step fractionation of industrial hardwood kraft lignin (HKL) using organic solvents of different polarities...
Poster
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Building practices can have a large impact on human health and the environment, so it is crucial to strive towards sustainability and use of renewable materials in all stages of the construction process. As academic research accumulates, detecting trends can illuminate current developments in both research and practice. Our aim was to explore rece...
Article
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Pleating is an optimal way to increase bendability of wood used in diverse industrial applications. It results in the excessive buckling of cell walls and modifications of constitutive polymers. However, thoughtful understanding of the physical–chemical mechanisms of that modification process is very limited. The main purpose of the present study w...
Conference Paper
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System of prefabricated modules installed on the existing building envelope is one alternative solution for deep energy refurbishment of buildings in the European Union. It allows thermal upgrade installation of new parts in the HVAC system. Moreover, some elements of the envelope can be made of renewable materials. This research compares the resid...
Article
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The latest progress in the fi eld of optics and microelectronics resulted in the development of new generation vision systems capable of scanning surface topography with very high sampling frequencies. The blue color of illuminating light as well as novel systems for controlling ultra-thin laser line thickness allows the measurement of the porous s...
Article
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Portable spectroscopic instruments are an interesting alternative for in-field and on-line measurements. However, the practical implementation of visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) portable sensors in the forest sector is challenging due to operation in harsh environmental conditions and natural variability of wood itself. The objective of this work w...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Gamification is the application of game design elements in a non-gaming environment to promote outcomes, such as enhanced motivation, engagement, performance, and behaviour alteration. As such, it seems a valuable and innovative tool to implement in education and assist students in their learning process, especially when learning content does not i...
Conference Paper
Humanity has only 12 years to start a deep decline in emissions of Greenhouse gases in order to prevent dangerous, non-reversible climate change. Cascading use of wood might be a way to mitigate climate change. In this contribution, we investigate how the cascading use of wood from demolished buildings as a raw material for paper production could i...