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Thomas Hu

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Research and Teaching Interests

RESEARCH PROGRAMME

Our cellulose pulp/fibres chemistry group at FPInnovations applies advanced, green and cost-effective chemistry to develop new processes and products for the Canadian pulp and paper industry.  We have developed several innovative and proprietary processes for the chemical modification and high-value applications of Canadian bleached pulp fibres and cellulose filaments (CF), high-yield production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), bleaching and brightness stabilization of mechanical pulps, and improved generation of polysulphide for chemical pulping of wood chips.

Our group has extensive collaborations with researchers at UBC Chemistry.  We have collaborated with Prof. Brian R. James on the catalytic hydrogenation of lignin chromophores and bleaching of mechanical wood pulps.  Together, we have discovered a new class of bleaching and brightness stabilizing agents for mechanical pulp fibres.  Use of one of these agents has been successfully demonstrated in a Canadian pulp mill, and two of our publications have been awarded the 2004 Journal of Pulp and Paper Science Best Paper Award and the 2005 Pulp and Paper Technical Association of Canada Douglas Atack Award for Best Mechanical Pulping Paper.  Currently our group is collaborating with Prof. Derek Gates on the development of fire-retardant wood fibres for use as insulation materials or other green products, and with Prof. Edward Grant on the development of a Raman probe for on-line/process monitoring of chemical properties of cellulose pulp fibres and papers.

Contact

Real name: 
Thomas Hu
Email: 
Office Room Number(s): 
FPInnovations
Office Phone Number: 
604-225-5836
Fax Number: 
604-222-3207

Curriculum Vitae

B.Sc., South China Institute of Technology (1983); M.Sc., University of British Columbia (Larry Weiler, 1988); Ph.D., University of British Columbia (Larry Weiler, 1993); NSERC Industrial Postdoctoral Fellow (Paprican, 1993-1994); FPInnovations Assistant Scientist (1994), Associate Scientist (1997), Scientist (1999), Senior Scientist (2002), Principal Scientist (2007-present); Adjunct Professor, UBC Chemistry (2002-present).

Publications

2012

Moiseev, D. V. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Characterization Of Secondary And Primary (Hydroxymethyl)-Phosphine And Their Oxidation Products: Synergism In Pulp-Bleaching. Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements 2012, 187, 433-447.

2011

Hu, T. Q. ; Zhao, M. ; Bicho, P. A. ; Losier, P. A Method For Estimating Wood Chip Brightness And Its Applications. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 2011, 41, 2114-2119.
Hu, T. Q. ; Margetts, C. ; Morrow, K. ; Zhao, M. ; Johal, S. ; Yuen, B. A Cost-Effective Method For Overcoming The Brightness Ceiling Of Tmp Made From Mill Chips Containing Mountain Pine Beetle-Infested Lodgepole Pine. Tappi Journal 2011, 1, 25-31.

2010

Moiseev, D. V. ; Patrick, B. O. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Interactions Of Tertiary Phosphines With P-Benzoquinones; X-Ray Structures Of [Ho(Ch2)3]3P+C6H2(O-)(Oh)(Meo) And Ph3P+C6H3(O-)(Oh). Inorganica Chimica Acta 2010, 363, 3569 - 3574.
Hamad, W. ; Hu, T. Q. Structure-Process-Yield Interrelations In Nanocrystalline Cellulose Extraction. Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 2010, 88, 392-402.
Hu, T. Q. ; Zhao, M. ; Drummond, J. ; Watson, P. Water Uptake Studies Of Dry, Mountain Pine Beetle-Infested, Grey-Stage Lodgepole Pine Sapwood Chips. Tappi Journal 2010, 3, 22-28.

2009

Hu, T. Q. ; Williams, T. ; Schmidt, J. A. ; James, B. R. ; Cavasin, R. ; Lewing, D. Mill Trial Of The New Bleaching Agent -Thps. Pulp & Paper-Canada 2009, 110, 37-42.
Hu, T. Q. ; Zhao, M. ; Johal, S. ; Yuen, B. ; Watson, P. Effects Of Mountain Pine Beetle Grey-Stage Infestation And Chip Moisture Content On Tmp Pulping Of Lodgepole Pine. Tappi Journal 2009, 8, 11-18.
Hu, T. Q. ; Williams, T. ; Yazdi, S. ; Watson, P. Towards Overcoming The Brightness Ceiling Of Mechanical Pulps Prepared From Blue-Stained Lodgepole Pine Chips. Pulp and Paper Canada 2009, 5/6, 44-50.

2008

Hu, T. Q. ; Yu, E. ; James, B. R. ; Marcazzan, P. The Fate Of Phosphorus In The Bleaching Of Spruce Tmp With The New Bleaching Agent - Thps. Holzforschung 2008, 62, 389-396.

2007

Moiseev, D. V. ; Patrick, B. O. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Interaction Of Tertiary Phosphines With Lignin-Type, Alpha,beta-Unsaturated Aldehydes In Water. Inorganic Chemistry 2007, 46, 9389-9399.
Moiseev, D. V. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Chemistry And Stereochemistry Of The Interaction Of The Water-Soluble Phosphine [Ho(Ch2)(3)](3)P With Cinnamaldehyde In Aqueous Media. Inorganic Chemistry 2007, 46, 4704-4712.
Chandra, R. ; Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Ezhova, M. B. ; Moiseev, D. V. A New Class Of Bleaching And Brightness Stabilizing Agents. Part Iv: Probing The Bleaching Chemistry Of Thp And Bbhpe. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2007, 33, 15-22.
Ma, G. B. ; McDonald, R. ; Ferguson, M. ; Cavell, R. G. ; Patrick, B. O. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Ruthenium(Ii) Diphosphine/diamine/diimine Complexes And Catalyzed Hydrogen-Transfer To Ketones. Organometallics 2007, 26, 846-854.

2006

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Yawalata, D. ; Ezhova, M. B. A New Class Of Bleaching And Brightness Stabilizing Agents. Part Iii: Brightness Stabilization Of Mechanical Pulps. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2006, 32, 131-136.
Moiseev, D. V. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Alpha-Monodeuterated Benzyl Alcohols And Phosphobetaines From Reactions Of Aromatic Aldehydes With A Water / D2O-Soluble Phosphine. Inorganic Chemistry 2006, 45, 10338-10346.
Moiseev, D. ; James, B. R. ; Patrick, B. O. ; Hu, T. Q. New Oligophosphines And (Hydroxymethyl)Phosphonium Chlorides. Inorganic Chemistry 2006, 45, 2917-2924.
Hu, T. Q. ; Johal, S. ; Yuen, B. ; Williams, T. ; Osmond, D. A. ; Watson, P. Thermomechanical Pulping And Bleaching Of Blue-Stained Chips. Pulp and Paper Canada 2006, 107, 38-45.

2005

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Yawalata, D. ; Ezhova, M. B. ; Chandra, R. P. A New Class Of Bleaching And Brightness Stabilizing Agents. Part Ii: Bleaching Power Of A Bisphosphine. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2005, 31, 69-75.
Hu, T. Q. ; Williams, T. ; Pikulik, I. I. ; Schmidt, J. A. Design, Synthesis And Studies Of Yellowing Inhibitor With High Affinity To Mechanical Pulps. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2005, 31, 109-115.
Ezhova, M. B. ; Lu, A. Z. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Catalytic Hydrogenation And Hydrogenolysis Of Lignin Model Compounds Using In-Situ, Water-Soluble Ru/p(Ch2Oh)(3) Systems. In Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Sowa, J. R. ; Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Crc Press-Taylor & Francis Group: Boca Raton, 2005; Vol. 104, pp. 135-143.

2004

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Yawalata, D. ; Ezhova, M. B. A New Class Of Bleaching And Brightness Stabilizing Agents. Part I: Bleaching Of Mechanical Pulps. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2004, 30, 233-240.
Hu, T. Q. ; Osmond, D. A. ; Schmidt, J. A. Design, Synthesis And Fibre-Reactivity Study Of A Water-Soluble, Monochloro-S-Triazinyl Hindered Nitroxide On Mechanical Pulps. Polymer Degradation and Stability 2004, 83, 547-553.
Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. New Bleaching Agents For Mechanical Pulps – A Discovery Made Possible By The Pursuit Of Green Chemistry. Canadian Chemical News 2004, 56, 27-28.
Hu, T. Q. A New Yellowing Inhibitor For Peroxide-Bleached Mechanical Pulps. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2004, 30, 153-158.

2003

Ma, G. B. ; Patrick, B. O. ; Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. 4 ’-Hydroxy-3 ’-Methoxyacetophenone (Acetovanillone). Acta Crystallographica Section E-Structure Reports Online 2003, 59, O579-O580.
Hu, T. Q. Discovery And Use Of Simple Fibre-Reactive Yellowing Inhibitors. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2003, 29, 267-274.
Hu, T. Q. ; Patrick, B. O. ; Osmond, D. A. ; James, B. R. 4-Ammonio-1-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-Ium Dichloride Monohydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section E-Structure Reports Online 2003, 59, O1584-O1585.

2002

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. Catalytic Modification And Photostabilization Of Lignin Functional Groups. In Chemical Modification, Properties, and Usage of Lignin; Hu, T. Q. ; Chemical Modification, Properties, and Usage of Lignin; Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York, 2002; pp. 247-265.

2001

Lu, A. Z. ; Hu, T. Q. ; Osmond, D. A. ; Patrick, B. O. ; James, B. R. Tetrazole Ethers From Lignin Model Phenols: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, And Photostability. Canadian Journal of Chemistry-Revue Canadienne De Chimie 2001, 79, 1201-1206.

2000

Wong, T. Y. H. ; Pratt, R. ; Leong, C. G. ; James, B. R. ; Hu, T. Q. Catalytic Hydrogenation Of Lignin Aromatics Using Ru-Arene Complexes. Catalysis of Organic Reactions 2000, 82, 255-266.
Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. Towards Inhibition Of Yellowing Of Mechanical Pulps. Part Iv: Photostability Of Hydrogenated Lignin Model Compounds. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 2000, 26, 173-175.
Hu, T. Q. ; Cairns, G. R. ; James, B. R. Removal Of Phenolic Hydroxyl Groups In Lignin Model Compounds And Its Effect On Photostability. Holzforschung 2000, 54, 127-132.

1999

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Wang, Y. Towards Inhibition Of Yellowing Of Mechanical Pulps. Part Iii. Hydrogenation Of Milled Wood Lignin. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 1999, 25, 312-317.
Hu, T. Q. ; Leary, G. ; Wong, D. A New Approach Towards The Yellowing Inhibition Of Mechanical Pulps. Part I: Selective Removal Of Α-Hydroxyl And Α-Carbonyl Groups In Lignin Model Compounds. Holzforschung 1999, 53, 43-48.

1998

James, B. R. ; Wang, Y. ; Alexander, C. S. ; Hu, T. Q. Catalytic Hydrogenation Of Aromatic Rings In Lignin. In Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Herkes, F. E. ; Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Marcel Dekker: New York, 1998; Vol. 75, pp. 233-242.

1997

Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Rettig, S. J. ; Lee, C. L. Stereoselective Hydrogenation Of Lignin Degradation Model Compounds. Canadian Journal of Chemistry-Revue Canadienne De Chimie 1997, 75, 1234-1239.
Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Lee, C. L. Towards Inhibition Of Yellowing Of Mechanical Pulps .2. Water-Soluble Catalysts For The Hydrogenation Of Lignin Model Compounds. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 1997, 23, J200-J205.
Hu, T. Q. ; James, B. R. ; Lee, C. L. Towards Inhibition Of Yellowing Of Mechanical Pulps .1. Catalytic Hydrogenation Of Lignin Model Compounds Under Mild Conditions. Journal of Pulp and Paper Science 1997, 23, J153-J156.

1996

James, B. R. ; Wang, Y. ; Hu, T. Q. Hydrogenation Of Substituted Aromatics. In Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Malz, R. E. ; Catalysis of Organic Reactions; Marcel Dekker: New York, 1996; Vol. 68, pp. 423-428.

1994

Hu, T. Q. ; Weiler, L. Binding And Transport Of Calcium-Ions By Synthetic Analogs Of Ionomycin. Canadian Journal of Chemistry-Revue Canadienne De Chimie 1994, 72, 1512-1524.
Hu, T. Q. ; Weiler, L. Design And Synthesis Of Analogs Of Ionomycin. Canadian Journal of Chemistry-Revue Canadienne De Chimie 1994, 72, 1500-1511.