Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry Vision and Technology Roadmap
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Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry—Vision and Technology Roadmap iii Table of Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... v 1—Overview of the Forest Products Industry ................................................................... 1 2—Vision for Nanotechnology in the Forest Products Industry ....................................... 7 3—R&D Strategy ............................................................................................................ 11 R&D Focus Area 1 Polymer Composites and Nano-Reinforced Materials .............................................. 17 R&D Focus Area 2 Self-Assembly and Biomimetics ................................................................................ 23 R&D Focus Area 3 Cell Wall Nanotechnology ....................................................................................... 27 R&D Focus Area 4 Nanotechnology in Sensors, Processing, and Process Control ................................. 33 R&D Focus Area 5 Analytical Methods for Nanostructure Characterization ......................................... 37 R&D Focus Area 6 Collaboration in Advancing Programs and Conducting Research ........................... 43 4—Implementation Plan: Next Steps and Recommendations ........................................ 45 Appendices .................................................................................................................... 49 A—Workshop Agenda......................................................................................... 51 B—List of Participants ......................................................................................... 55 C—Breakout Group Members ............................................................................ 63 D—Selected Workshop Presentation Summaries................................................. 67 E—Workshop Organizing Committee and Contacts for Further Information .... 75 F—Tools for the Characterization of Nanometer-Scale Materials ...................... 77 G—Nanoscience User Facilities .......................................................................... 87 References ........................................................................................................... 89 iv Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry—Vision and Technology Roadmap Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry—Vision and Technology Roadmap v Executive Summary Introduction A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, Nanotechnology is defined as the or 80,000 times thinner than a manipulation of materials measuring 100 human hair. nanometers or less in at least one dimension. Nanotechnology is expected to be a critical economical and sustainable production of driver of global economic growth and these new generations of forest-based development in this century. Already, this materials—materials that will meet societal broad multi-disciplinary field is providing needs while improving forest health and glimpses of exciting new capabilities, contributing to the further expansion of the enabling materials, devices, and systems that biomass-based economy. can be examined, engineered, and fabricated at the nanoscale. Using nanotechnology to Nanotechnology can be used to tap the controllably produce nanomaterials with enormous undeveloped potential that trees unique properties is expected to revolutionize possess—as photochemical “factories” that technology and industry. produce rich sources of renewable raw materials using sunlight, water, and carbon The forest products industry relies on a vast dioxide. The consumption of carbon dioxide renewable resource base to manufacture a in the production of these raw materials wide array of products that are indispensable provides a carbon sink for this important to our modern society. American paper and greenhouse gas. By harnessing this potential, wood products companies produce over 225 nanotechnology can provide benefits that million tons of products each year that touch extend well beyond fiber production and new every aspect of our lives, contribute over materials development and into the areas of $240 billion per year to the gross domestic sustainable energy production, storage, and product, and employ over 1.1 million utilization. For example, nanotechnology Americans. Emerging nanotechnologies offer may provide new approaches for obtaining the potential to develop entirely new and utilizing energy from sunlight—based on approaches for producing engineered wood- the operation of the plant cell. Novel new and fiber-based materials. They can also ways to produce energy, chemicals, and other enable the development of a wide range of innovative products and processes from this new or enhanced wood-based materials and renewable, domestic resource base will help products that offer cost-effective substitutes for address major issues facing our nation, non-renewable materials used in the including national energy security, global manufacture of metallic, plastic, or ceramic products. Nanotechnology could transform Nanotechnology could transform the the forest products industry in virtually all forest products industry in virtually all aspects—ranging from production of raw aspects—ranging from production of materials, to new applications for composite raw materials, to new applications for and paper products, to new generations of composite and paper products, to new functional nanoscale lignocellulosics. generations of functional nanoscale Research and development (R&D) in nanotechnology is critically important to the lignocellulosics. vi Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry—Vision and Technology Roadmap climate change, air and water quality, and and particles to allow customized property global industrial competitiveness. enhancement in processing. Many challenges stand in the way of Potential Uses for Nanotechnology exploiting the potential benefits of in Forest Products nanotechnology in the forest products industry and much research will be needed to move Potential uses for nanotechnology include forward in this arena. Researchers will need to developing intelligent wood- and paper- address technical challenges such as the lack based products with an array of nanosensors of fundamental understanding of built in to measure forces, loads, moisture lignocellulosic material formation at the levels, temperature, pressure, chemical nanoscale and the absence of adequate emissions, attack by wood decaying fungi, et technology for measuring and characterizing cetera. Building functionality onto these materials at the nanoscale. Participants lignocellulosic surfaces at the nanoscale in this effort will need to come from not only could open new opportunities for such things academia but from industry and government as pharmaceutical products, self-sterilizing as well; they will need to come together to surfaces, and electronic lignocellulosic form an infrastructure and move forward as a devices. Use of nanodimensional building cohesive unit working simultaneously towards blocks will enable the assembly of functional a single goal—the advancement of materials and substrates with substantially nanotechnology into the forest products higher strength properties, which will allow the industry. production of lighter-weight products from less material and with less energy Advancing the nanotechnology research requirements. Significant improvements in agenda efficiently and effectively will require surface properties and functionality will be gaining consensus on research needs and possible, making existing products much priorities among the forest products industry, more effective and enabling the development universities with forest products research and of many more new products. Nanotechnology education departments and programs, can be used to improve processing of wood- technology developers and suppliers, based materials into a myriad of paper and research institutes and laboratories serving wood products by improving water removal the forest products industry, and mission- and eliminating rewetting; reducing energy oriented federal agencies with supportive usage in drying; and tagging fibers, flakes, goals, such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Potential Uses Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In building consensus, the ! Intelligent products with nanosensors forest products sector can capitalize on the for measuring forces, loads, moisture good working relationships that the forest levels, temperature, et cetera. products industry has with its university research community, and with federal ! As building blocks of products with agencies such as the USDA Forest Service; the substantially enhanced properties. USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES); the DOE ! As coatings for improving surface Industries of the Future Program; and the qualities to make existing products DOE Biomass Program. In addition, the forest more effective. products sector can take advantage of the linkages it has with research communities ! As basis for making lighter-weight across the globe. As the industry’s operation products from less material and with and markets become more and more global fewer energy requirements. in nature, international cooperation and collaboration is imperative. Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry—Vision and Technology Roadmap vii Increased cooperation must also occur for nanotechnology