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GOVERNMENT & POLICY
said. Production of cellulose nanomaterials and products derived from them can boost production volume at such facilities. Just one application—cellulose nanomaterials in the paper industry—could create 425,000 jobs in the U.S. by 2020, said Thomas Kalil, deputy director for technology and innovation at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy. Kalil and other federal officials are encouraging the private sector to invest in nanocellulose. The U.S. has 751 million acres of forests, 44% of which are managed by federal, state, and local governments, according to USDA’s Forest Service. ENABLERS Rod-
shaped cellulose nanocrystals (left) and spaghetti-like cellulose nanofibrils, shown in these transmission electron microscope images, have the potential to be incorporated into numerous products.
TRANSFORMING NANOCELLULOSE Regulatory uncertainties, lack of private investment HAMPER COMMERCIALIZATION of products BRITT E. ERICKSON, C&EN WASHINGTON
NANOSCALE CELLULOSE particles are
popping up in a dizzying number of applications. But despite their high commercial potential, investment in large-volume uses of the materials is low. Uncertainties related to the environmental, health, and safety aspects of the materials could also hinder commercialization of these products. Cellulose nanomaterials have a lot going for them. These materials cost less to produce than other nanomaterials. They have a high strength-to-weight ratio and properties that make them promising for a wide variety of applications. Some of the most talked about products on the horizon include recyclable electronics, biobased plastics, paper and packaging materials with improved surfaces, flexible cement, lightweight parts for automobiles and aircraft wings, armor for soldiers, and additives for oil and natural gas drilling. Interest in cellulose nanomaterials is also growing because they are renewable—they can be isolated from trees, other plants, and algae, or they can be generated by bacteria. Nanocellulose particles can be extracted from biomass in various ways, leading to particles with different behaviors. One of the most common ways is via acid hydrolysis with sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, which results in rice-shaped cellulose nanocrystals. Another method involves enzyme-mediated oxidation followed by mechanical ripping of cell-wall material,
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT has invested
resulting in longer, spaghetti-like cellulose nanofibrils. Cellulose nanoparticles can also be decorated, like an ice cream cone with sprinkles, with functional groups, such as reactive hydroxyls, that alter the particles’ behavior. As nanocellulose-based applications emerge from research laboratories and small start-up companies, federal officials are urging private investors to provide funds to turn innovations into commercial products. They cite the potential for economic growth and job creation, particularly in rural areas. Federal officials fear that if the private sector doesn’t act soon in the U.S., manufacturing of such products will end up overseas. Cellulose nanomaterials are “exciting, game-changing materials that will play an important role in our future bioeconomy,” said Arthur (Butch) Blazer, deputy undersecretary for natural resources and environment at the Department of Agriculture. They open a path for novel uses of low-grade wood, such as trees killed by beetles or harvested during fire prevention operations. Cellulose nanomaterials also provide new ways of using wood fiber from traditional timber sources, he said. Much of the infrastructure already exists for processing cellulose. Manufacturers of wood products, building materials, and pulp and paper are major contributors to local economies, especially in rural areas. Many of these plants are underutilized, Blazer CEN.ACS.ORG
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about $20 million in nanocellulose research and development since 2009, compared with a combined $680 million by federal governments worldwide. The Forest Service first began investing in this area in 2005 as part of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)—a federal effort to coordinate nanotechnology R&D across U.S. government agencies. For fiscal 2015, the Obama Administration has requested that Congress provide $4 million for nanocellulose R&D. U.S. taxpayer money has supported basic R&D projects, such as studies on the nanoscale structure of wood and characterization of nanocellulose materials. Federal dollars have also helped develop international standards for commercialization of nanocellulose products, said Cynthia West, associate deputy chief for R&D at the Forest Service. The Forest Service made a critical $1.7 million investment in 2012 to fund a nanocellulose pilot plant at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wis., West said. The laboratory is the leading producer of nanocellulose materials in the U.S., with the capacity to generate 25-kg batches of cellulose nanocrystals and 2-kg batches of cellulose nanofibrils. The Forest Service also provided $1.5 million in 2011 to support the development and construction of a cellulose nanofibrils demonstration plant at the University of Maine. The Forest Service late last year joined forces with the nonprofit U.S. Endowment
for Forestry & Communities. They formed Cathala said. It is unclear whether FDA will leads the world in commercial activity of a three-year collaboration called the also consider these forms of nanocellulose nanotechnology. Several lawmakers and Public-Private Partnership for Advanced to be generally recognized as safe. federal officials are concerned, however, Woody Biomaterials & Nanotechnology, or Similarly, in the EU, microcrystalline because other countries are investing P3Nano. It aims to overcome technical barcellulose is an approved food ingredient, heavily in nanocellulose technology at a riers to large-scale wood-based nanotechbut it is unclear whether cellulose nanotime when U.S. federal research dollars are nology processing and to fill in the science crystals and cellulose nanofibrils will be dwindling. and technology gaps related to commerconsidered novel food ingredients that The House of Representatives’ Science, cialization of nanocellulose products. need to undergo rigorous safety evaluation. Space & Technology Committee addressed Some of those barriers and research the challenges facing the commercializagaps were identified last month at a workFEW STUDIES have looked at effects of tion of nanotechnology products at a subshop in Washington, D.C., cosponsored by cellulosic nanomaterials on human health, committee hearing last month. “If we are the Forest Service and NNI. In addition to said Charles L. Geraci Jr., coordinator of going to remain competitive, then the U.S. the lack of industry partners to codevelop the Nanotechnology Research Center at needs to make strong and sustained investnew products, participants pointed out the National Institute for Occupational ments in nanotechnology, enact federal that access to nanocellulose materials is Safety & Health. NIOSH studies the potenpolicies that help technology and manufaclimited. Additionally, such materials are tial hazards of new materials on workers. turing development, and play a central role expensive, and the environmental, health, The agency is currently evaluating whether in international standards development,” and safety aspects of the materials have cellulosic nanomaterials represent a workthe committee’s ranking member, Eddie not been evaluated. Other unmet scientific place hazard, with a focus on exposure by Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), said. U.S. challenges include a lack of information inhalation, Geraci said. companies invested $4.1 billion in nanoabout dispersion and technology R&D in 2012, aggregation of cellulose far more than companies nanoparticles and the in any other country, need for cost-effective Lloyd Whitman, interim methods to dry such director of the National Number of trees planted Cellulose nanofibril capacity: materials. Nanotechnology Coorannually in U.S.: >1.5 billion ~7.5 tons/year (U.S.), ~50 million Regulatory challenges dination Office, told the tons/year (global) Size of U.S. forests: 751 million also exist. Workshop parcommittee. The office coacres (44% managed by federal, Cellulose nanocrystal capacity: ticipants pointed to upordinates NNI activities state, and local governments) ~1.3 tons/year (U.S.), ~30 million coming requirements in and serves as the central tons/year (global) Amount invested in some European countries point of contact for fednanocellulose R&D since 2009: Wood demand: 187 million tons/ for labeling of consumer eral nanotechnology R&D $20 million (U.S. Forest Service), year (U.S.) products that contain in the U.S. $680 million (global) Wood capacity: 405 million tons/ nanomaterials. France Federal investment in President’s request for year (U.S.) already has such a rule in nanotechnology R&D in fiscal 2015 Forest Service place, said Bernard Cathathe U.S. is relatively modYear U.S. Forest Service began nanotechnology R&D: $4 million la, a group leader of nanoest compared with priinvesting in nanotechnology: 2005 structured assemblies vate-sector spending. Yet OH OH OH OH and deputy director of the taxpayer money supports O O HO HO O O biopolymer unit at the “a critical pipeline of basic O O HO HO O O National Agronomical Reresearch, generating new OH OH OH OH search Institute in France. innovations that will proCellulose SOURCE: U.S. Forest Service It is unclear whether vide opportunities for fucellulose nanomaterials ture industry investments would fall under the European Union’s Preliminary results suggest very low toxin applied R&D,” Whitman said. “It is esdefinition of a nanomaterial and whether icity of cellulose nanomaterials in humans sential that the U.S. continue to lead the they will be considered novel materials. and the environment, said Jo Anne Shatkin, way in innovation enabled by nanotechnolIn the U.S., the Food & Drug Adminisfounder of Vireo Advisors, a firm that speogy and other emerging technologies,” he tration has declared nanosized cellulose cializes in analyzing the risks of emerging said. “The nation’s economic growth and produced by bacteria to be generally recmaterials. global competitiveness depend on it.” ognized as safe. It can be added to food as a As an example, Geraci said, “We see Leading experts from academia, governthickening, binding, or gelling agent. Comgood clearance of nanocellulose out of ment, and the private sector are expected panies are evaluating the use of other nanothe lung” in laboratory animals. NIOSH is to gather in Vancouver, British Columbia, cellulose materials, in particular cellulose following up with cellular toxicology tests later this month to further map the path tonanofibrils, as a low-calorie food additive looking for other indicators of toxicity—inward commercialization of nanocelluloseto replace fat in Chinese-style meatballs, flammation and oxidative stress, he added. based products. The meeting, hosted by to decrease the loss of hamburger’s weight Despite the technical and regulatory a pulp and paper industry trade organizawhen it is fried, and to provide a softer challenges associated with nanomanufaction, will showcase some of the latest applitexture and better appearance to bread, turing and commercialization, the U.S. cations from around the world. ◾
Nanocellulose By The Numbers
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