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 4 th globally in forest reserves • Removes 1.1 Billion tons of CO 2 from atmosphere annually • Generates 332 x 10 6 tons of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin annually • 450 Million wood raw material equivalents U.S. Forest Products Industry •8 th 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 ft 2 of oriented strandboard • 21.6 Billion ft 2 of plywood • 19.8 Billion ft 2 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 properties Electronic paper with electric and magnetic properties Physical stress response, self cleaning/healing, temperature/moisture indicator, audio response Security/anti-counterfeiting, environmental barriers/control Lightweight printing paper and paperboard, enhanced recycling properties Active defenses against bacteria/fungal infiltration Wood Composites Healthy building material generating less VOC Stronger light weight wood composites Environmental/Biological stability Stronger than steel and more durable Renewable BioComposites Programmable lifecycle biocomposites employing Nanocellulose fibers; nanohemicellulose, nanolignin particles Polylactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxybuterate (PHB), etc.. Enhanced strength/performance properties, reduced weight Recyclable, Biodegradable, Fundamental Research Needs/Opportunities Understanding of tree genetics, cellular biology biochemistry/biophysics facilitating new bio-versions of “carbon tubes” Multifunctional self assembling biopolymers yielding unique nanomaterials, nanotemplates and nanodevices Convergence of lignocellulosic biopolymer nanostructures with silicon IT; computer in a tree Morphology, dimensionality performance, self shaping/assembling of lignocellulosic nanostructures Instrumentation and analytical technologies for characterization of rough/soft nanolignocellulosic structures Nanomechanics of wood and force convergence on natural biopolymers Efficient 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 O O HO OH O O HO OH OH OH O HO OH O O HO OH O OH OH O n: 10,000 -1500 O O O OAc O O HO OAc O HO O O O AcO OH O-Xylan O O HO OAc O O AcO OAc O O HO HO O HO O HO HO OH HO O O HO OH O O O H3CO OH OH OH Lignin Hemicellulose Cellulose Nanotechnology Forest Products Initiative T. Wegner/USDA, P. Jones/Imerys, and A.J. Ragauskas/GA Tech primary primary wall wall secondary secondary wall wall Basic Forest Products System Nanotechnology Research - Paradigm change in dewatering/drying technologies - Nanoscale catalysts for delignification of wood - Self assembly nanocoatings for cellulosics