NANOTECHNOLOGY in the FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY:Untapped Opportunities

U.S. Forests• Valuable renewable and recyclable resource• Key component of the biomass-based economy • A component of society’s future sustainability technology platform• US is 4th globally in forest reserves• Removes 1.1 Billion tons of CO2 from atmosphere annually• Generates 332 x 106 tons of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin annually• 450 Million wood raw material equivalents

U.S. Forest Products Industry• 8th Largest domestic manufacturing sector • Generates $250 billion in products annually• Represents 7% of nations manufacturing output• Employs 1.5 million people, many jobs in rural areas

Current Forest Products Portfolio• 41 million tons of paper• 47 million tons of packaging paper/board• 7 million tons of tissue/towel/hygiene products• 21.7 Billion ft2 of oriented strandboard• 21.6 Billion ft2 of plywood• 19.8 Billion ft2 of Particleboard/MDF• 67.7 Billion Board feet of lumber

Nanotechnology Opportunities: Enhance the utilization of lignocellulosic/wood biopolymers as a high-performance, renewable biomass resource for a broad range of applications in biomaterials, biosystem-based electronics, transportation, health, energy, construction, agriculture, and the environment

Smart Paper/Packaging Responsive to emf signal, tunable hydrophobic/hydrophilic propertiesElectronic paper with electric and magnetic propertiesPhysical stress response, self cleaning/healing, temperature/moisture indicator, audio responseSecurity/anti-counterfeiting, environmental barriers/controlLightweight printing paper and paperboard, enhanced recycling propertiesActive defenses against bacteria/fungal infiltration

Wood CompositesHealthy building material generating less VOCStronger light weight wood compositesEnvironmental/Biological stabilityStronger than steel and more durable

Renewable BioCompositesProgrammable lifecycle biocomposites employing

Nanocellulose fibers; nanohemicellulose, nanolignin particlesPolylactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxybuterate (PHB), etc..

Enhanced strength/performance properties, reduced weightRecyclable, Biodegradable,

Fundamental Research Needs/OpportunitiesUnderstanding of tree genetics, cellular biology biochemistry/biophysics facilitating new bio-versions of “carbon tubes”

Multifunctional self assembling biopolymers yielding unique nanomaterials, nanotemplates and nanodevicesConvergence of lignocellulosic biopolymer nanostructures with silicon IT; computer in a tree

Morphology, dimensionality performance, self shaping/assembling of lignocellulosic nanostructuresInstrumentation and analytical technologies for characterization of rough/soft nanolignocellulosic structures

Nanomechanics of wood and force convergence on natural biopolymersEfficient chemo-enzymatic synthesis of nanolignocellulosic structures such as nanocellulose whiskers, balls, etc..

Synthesis of lignin and hemicellulose nanoparticles Adaptation of nanomanufacturing technologies to molecularly “rough/soft” surfaces and materials

Utilization of solar energy for paradigm changes in efficient energy conversion for renewable biofuels and biochemicals Molecular interaction and systems architecture of nanostructures with lignocellulosics materials

Health and environmental impact of nanolignocellulosics Societal, K-12, Undergraduate and Graduate Educational Needs

>> US Forest resources are an untapped resource of innovative nanoscale systems that could address many of society’s needs

Every Journey Starts with a First Step – The Beginning

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Nanotechnology Forest Products InitiativeT. Wegner/USDA, P. Jones/Imerys, and A.J. Ragauskas/GA Tech

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Basic Forest Products System Nanotechnology Research

- Paradigm change in dewatering/drying technologies- Nanoscale catalysts for delignification of wood- Self assembly nanocoatings for cellulosics