Dr. Filip Majstorović, a doctoral student at the University of Primorska’s Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (UP FAMNIT), successfully defended his doctoral thesis, titled Molecular-Level Wood-Water Interactions: The Role of Hydrogen Bonding and Cell Wall Free Volume (Interakcije med lesom in vodo na molekularni ravni: Vloga vodikovih vezi in prostega prostora v celični steni).

His doctoral research focused on how water interacts with wood at the molecular level, particularly how water attaches itself inside wood’s cell walls. Using near-infrared spectroscopy and a specialised technique that tracks nanoscale empty spaces in materials, he discovered that water changes its behaviour once wood reaches about 10% moisture content. Below this point, water molecules bond tightly to the wood’s structure, while above it, they increasingly cluster together with other water molecules. His findings provide new insight into how wood takes up moisture and could contribute to more effective ways of protecting wood from moisture damage and decay.

He was developing his research under the mentorship of Dr. Bohumil Kasal and co-mentorship of Dr. Matthew Schwarzkopf, as part of the Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments doctoral programme.

Congratulations Filip!