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 Carl J. Houtman | Carl J. HoutmanFiber and Chemical Sciences ResearchUnit: FPL-4709 Chemical Engineer One Gifford Pinchot Drive Madison, WI United States 53726-2398 Phone: 608-231-9445 carl.houtman@usda.gov |
- Research
Narratives - Education &
Experiences - Organizations &
Awards - Products &
Publications - Research
Highlights - Lab Notes
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Current Research
- Biorefineries - Approximately every 30 years, the First World War, the Second World War, the Oil crisis of the 1970s, and now, interest in developing biorefineries from lignocellulose peaks. Research scientists at the Forest Products Lab advanced biorefinery technology during the 1940s and 1970s. We are continuing in this tradition by trialing several biorefinery concepts on the pilot scale. The engineering data from our trials are incorporated into economic models that allow use to evaluate the probability of success for biorefineries connected to a paper mill. We are also currently working with several paper companies in an effort to evaluate opportunities for biorefineries at particular mills.
- PSAs - Pressure sensitive adhesives are used in everything from shipping containers to postage stamps. We are reducing the negative environmental impact of PSA use by developing recycling compatible adhesives that are made from renewable materials. Beginning with sponsorship by the US Postal Service, we developed testing methods to determine if an adhesive is likely to cause problems in a paper recycling mill. Working with adhesive suppliers we have assisted in the development of PSAs that pass our test methods. We now are incorporating non-petrochemical monomers into new PSA formulations that will allow them to be biodegraded.
- Fungus - Fungi orchestrate a complex set of enzymes to degrade lignocellulose. In many cases the transformations caused by the fungi are similar to unit operation required for biorefineries. We probe the detailed mechanism of fungal action using the methods of polymer science, chemical analysis, and reaction engineering.
Research Interest
- Integrate biorefineries into pulp mill operations
- Estimate economic performance of various lignocellulose processes
- Understand the mechanisms of fungal decay using engineering analysis
- Develop recycling-compatible and sustainable pressure sensitive adhesives
Education
- University of Minnesota, B.C.E. Chemical Engineering , 1983
- University of Minnesota, M.S. Chemical Engineering , 1985
- University of Delaware, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering , 1990
- Institut de Catalyse, Lyon, France, Postdoctoral Chemical Engineering , 1991
Professional Organizations
- American Chemical Society (ACS), Member
- Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI), Member
Below are the 83 US Forest Service publications sorted by year. You may re-sort the list by: Title, Date Posted, Category, Publication or Year.
| Publication Year: 2017 | |
 Highlight ID: 1289 | Enabling cellulose nanomaterial commercialization Cellulose nanomaterials are a high-value product that can be made from low-value wood. ... |
| Publication Year: 2015 | |
 Highlight ID: 618 | How Does Wood Decay Start? How do fungi rot wood? Using new tools, fluorescent dye attached to tiny beads, and laser confocal microscopy, Forest Service scientists were able to follow oxidation on a microscopic level. The information is helping them zero-in on the chemicals fu ... |
| Publication Year: 2013 | |
 Highlight ID: 448 | Scientists Determine Critical Factors that Caused Peroxide Explosion in Paper Mill In 2001, a peroxide bleach stage at a paper mill in Evadale, Texas, exploded, rupturing two bleaching towers, destroying a pump, and propelling fragments over 800 yards in all directions. There were no fatalities in this incident, but unfortunately, ... |
| Publication Year: 2012 | |
 Highlight ID: 22 | Forest Service Continues To Make a Better Postage Stamp Latest research reduces the environmental effect of stamp materials ... |
| Title | Date Posted |
|---|---|
 Researchers Honored with FellowshipTAPPI, the leading association for the worldwide pulp, paper, packaging, and converting industries, has announced the selection of FPL’s Carl Houtman and Junyong Zhu as TAPPI Fellows... | 01-26-2015 |
 Recyclable, Compostable Stamps That Last “Forever”Do you remember the last time you licked a stamp? Maybe not, and for good reason: 20 years have passed since the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) first started transitioning from “lickable” stamps to the peel-and-stick squares we use today, called “pressure-sensitive adhesive” stamps by those in t... | 11-08-2012 |