Prof. Carol Lin’s Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme (ORFS) visit has been featured by Times Higher Education
Prof. Carol Sze Ki Lin, Professor at SEE, CityUHK, was featured globally by Times Higher Education. (Photo courtesy of Times Higher Education)
An article titled "Fire-repelling foam could save lives and upcycle waste" was published on the Times Higher Education(THE) global platform and in their monthly newsletter in September 2026. This prominent feature successfully highlighted Prof. Carol Lin’s interdisciplinary research on transforming food waste into sustainable, fire-retardant polyurethane foams and strategic international collaboration with the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, significantly enhancing the global visibility of our research impact.
“This advancement in sustainable construction and building materials aligns with global sustainability goals and supports Hong Kong’s initiatives for green construction and enhanced building safety,” says Prof. Carol Sze Ki Lin from the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).
Transforming Waste into High-Value Solutions
Prof. Lin’s work focuses on developing circular biorefineries that use waste, such as food waste and agricultural biomass, to make new bio-based products. These products include sustainable aviation fuel, bioplastics, novel functional ingredients and sustainable proteins. “Current biorefineries often struggle with high raw-material costs and immature processing technologies,” she points out. Her research aims to address these challenges.
Prof. Lin is one of seven CityUHK researchers who have been awarded the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong’s inaugural Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme (ORFS). She is currently visiting the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, where she collaborates with scientists to develop sustainable, fire-safe polyurethane foam derived from natural sources.
Addressing Urban Safety & Environmental Goals
Conventional polyurethane foams are used extensively in construction, for example, in building insulation and structural cores. They are also inherently flammable. The presence of polystyrene foam exacerbated the tragic Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong in November 2025. Furthermore, when they burn, these foams produce toxic gases, such as hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide.
At the same time, food waste is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. “By transforming food waste into sustainable, fire-retardant polyurethane foams, we support Hong Kong’s 2050 carbon neutrality goals, while directly responding to new, stringent mandates for fire-safe construction materials,” she emphasizes.
Scaling Up for Real-World Deployment
Prof. Lin and her group are now moving from laboratory synthesis to commercial viability. “Through our collaboration with the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, we are using their pilot-scale facilities to upscale our processes,” she says. “We are also conducting comprehensive techno-economic evaluations and lifecycle assessments.”
They are engaging with industry leaders in the Baltic states and pursuing industrial partnerships in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. That way, “we aim to deploy these fire-safe polyurethane foams in real-world construction projects to gather immediate performance feedback,” she adds.
Synergy Through Strategic Collaboration
CityUHK’s engagement with the Latvian institute goes beyond the use of their facilities. Interdisciplinarity is a cornerstone of Prof. Lin’s research, and developing sustainable, fire-safe materials requires environmental engineering, polymer chemistry and fire-safety engineering.
“Our work relies heavily on our long-term collaboration with the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, a globally recognised authority on polyurethane chemistry,” she says. “By combining our expertise in waste valorisation at CityUHK with their state-of-the-art pilot facilities and advanced fire testing capabilities, we can achieve breakthroughs that neither institution could accomplish alone.”
Looking ahead to the next decade, Prof. Lin expects that there will be an increased focus on chemical circularity and industrial scalability. “Ultimately, my research team aims to design new polyurethane backbones specifically optimised for high-yield depolymerisation, ensuring our sustainable, fire-safe materials are both economically viable and fully integrated into a global circular bioeconomy.”
Prof. Lin’s work exemplifies SEE’s dedication to cross-disciplinary innovation and real-world solutions. By converting environmental waste streams into lifesaving, high-performance building materials, her research bridges laboratory discovery with industrial application. This ongoing effort not only strengthens international academic collaboration, but also positions CityUHK at the forefront of global circular bioeconomy research and sustainable urban development.
Read the full feature story on THE: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/research/city-university-hong-kong/fire-repelling-foam-could-save-lives-and-upcycle-waste