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“Nanotech 101” for Foresters – What does the future hold?

Alberta Professional Foresters21st Annual General Meeting

June 25, 2009Edmonton, Alberta

Jim DangerfieldExecutive Vice President

NSF Expert Panel

“The effect of nanotechnology on the health, wealth and standard of living for people in this century could be at least as significant as the combined influences of microelectronics, medical imaging, computer aided engineering and man-made polymers developed in the past century”.

What is a Nanometer?

Mountain1 km1000 m

Child1 m

Ant1 mm0.001 m

Bacteria1 µm0.000001 m

Sugar Molecule1 nm0.000000001 m

1,000,00 0 µm = 1 m 1,000,000,000 nm = 1 m

1,000 mm = 1 m0.001 km = 1 m

Origins of Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology in Nature

Optical Efficiency in ultra-thin Structures

and Nanocellulose

Nanotechnology in Art

Buckminster Fullerene – C60

Nanotubes

Nanotubes

Nanoropes

Is the nano-world different?

Quantum Mechanics(Wave Physics)

The nanoworld

10000.1 1 10 100 Length Scale (nm)

Classical Mechanics(Everyday Physics)

Nano changes physical properties

Melting point - 1064 C

Nano changes colour

Bulk Gold = Yellow

Nanogold = Red

Nano changes colour

Nano changes opacity

Nano changes opacity

Nano changes adherence

Nano changes strength

Nano changes strength

655030/90/ ±45 carbon in epoxyf

9 186Nylon 6/6 30% glass filledd

0.25 9Low-density polyethylenee

121 593

Aluminium with 20% particulate SiCd

150 240Zirconiac

71 330 Aluminium alloys 380 and LM6b

210 1280302 Stainless steela

150 10 000 Cellulose nanofibrils

Elasticity Modulus (GPa)Tensile Strength (MPa)MATERIAL

Properties of Cellulose Nanofibrils Relative to Metallic and Polymeric Materials

Nano changes porosity

Nano kills cancer

Cell

+ light

Nanoshell BNCCell death

Nanoshell BNCs + near IR light

=Carcinoma cell

deathTumor capillary

“Leaky” endothelium

Carcinoma cells

Closeup of nanoshell binding to carcinoma surface oncoproteins

Nano in the everyday world

Cellulose

Over 1.5 Trillion Tonnes/Year

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

amorphous region

acid hydrolysisH2SO4

TEM image of cotton nanocrystals

crystalline region

microfibril :

Origin of Forest Sector Nanotechnology

Nanocrystalline Cellulose

Crystallite dimensions, 200 nm long, 10 nm wide

Smallest physical subunitof cellulose

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

NCC Extraction

• Any cellulose source can be used

• Separated fines or vessel elements could be converted to a high value NCC stream

• The hydrolyzate can be used as a sugar source for ethanol production

Native Cellulose NanoCrystals

Species Diameter Length

SW1 3-5 180 +/- 75

HW2 5 150 +/- 65

Tunicate2 10-20 100 - 2000

Valonia2 10 - 20 > 1000

Cotton1 7 100 - 300

Bacteria2 5-10 X 30-50 100 - 2000

Algae > 20 2000

1. Gray, Chem Eur, 2001. 2. Gray, Biomac, 2005.

Nano changes physical properties

1%

7%

5%

100%

Nano changes adherence

Gecko

NCC

Nano changes colour

Nano changes colour

Achieved: Mixed NCC suspensions

Only 2 NCC suspensions are needed to generate any intermediate colour

Targeted applications:• cosmetics• ink• coloured films on solid support

Achieved: Strong flexible films with tunable colour

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

Nanocrystalline Cellulose

glossy and iridescent

glossy, white

NCC

Nanoclay Nanoclay layerdensity: 2.6 g/cm3

NCC layerdensity: 1.6 g/cm3

RMS roughness=2.1nm RMS roughness=24.7nm

50% NCC+50% nanoclay, NCC side

Gloss: 75.2%

50% NCC+50% nanoclay, Nanoclay side

Gloss: 42.5%

With Nanocrystalline cellulose : A new highly filled “paper” sheet

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

NCC in paints

• NCC forms natural flakes• Mica flakes are used in

paints• Mica flakes sell for

$8000/t• P&G interested in

replacing mica flakes with NCC

A surface hardening process

• Surface hardness improved up to 40%

• Will maintain the current product price level for the next 5 years

Enhancing wood properties using nanotechnology

Plasma technologies for Wood Products present potential for new properties

• Outdoor uses

• Non-Residential applications

• Cutting toolsHydrophobic wood surface

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

Material Tensile strength GPa

Modulus GPa

cellulose crystal 7.51 1452

Glass fiber 4.8 86

Aluminum wire 0.62 73

Steel wire 4.1 207

Graphite whisker 21 410

Carbon nanotubes3 11-63 270-970

1. Marks, Cell wall mechanics of tracheids 19672. Sturcova, et al. (2005) Biomacromol. 6, 10553. Yu, et al Science (2000) 287, 637

Mechanical Properties

Combining Carbon Nanotubes with Nanocrystalline Cellulose? Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)

are used in baseball bats, tennis racquets, and some car parts because of their greater mechanical strength at less weight per unit volume than that of conventional materials. Electronic properties of CNTs have made them a candidate for flat panel displays in TVs, batteries, and other electronics. Nanotubes for various uses can be made of materials other than carbon.

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

Using the Forest Resource in New Ways

Combining Carbon Nanotubes with Nanocrystalline Cellulose?

Save the Planet – Grow More Trees – Use More Wood

Thank You

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