Treesearch

Slot die coating with vacuum‐assist has been developed as a novel and scalable methodology for coating glass fiber fabrics as a pre‐step to composite fabrication. In particular, the slot die coating of cellulose nanocrystal suspension, a material which has been recognized as an emerging renewable material for fiber sizing, is subject to further exploration due to the limited scalability studies. In this paper, a multiscale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed, representing and combining separate 2D models of macroscale coating flow on top of the fabrics as well as microscal...

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), owing to their high crystallinity, thermal stability, and strong mechanical performance, serve as promising candidates for sustainable, high gas barrier packaging materials. However, their inherent moisture sensitivity and poor water resistance limit their practical applications. This study presents a strategy to overcome this limitation by constructing a network within CNC coating layers using 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) as a cross-linker and sodium hypophosphite (SHP) as a catalyst. The resulting cross-linked network had improved water...

Quantitative width distributions of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are difficult to obtain from microscopy when fibrils are highly branched and entangled, and when manual measurements rely on sparse sampling and subjective fibril selection. Here we present FACT (Fibril Analysis for Cellulose Technology), a semi-automated image-analysis framework that extracts length-weighted fibril width distributions from negative-contrast scanning electron microscopy (NegC-SEM) images. FACT uses machine-learning segmentation (either the ImageJ Weka plugin or a U-Net convolutional neural network) to...

This study investigates the effects of chemically functionalized cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) coatings on glass fiber (GF)‐epoxy laminate properties. Different types of modified CNCs, including sulfated, ion‐exchanged with MePh 3 P, silylated with (3‐Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane, oxidized and oligomerized with tannic acid, and grafted with hexadecylamine, are slot die coated onto unidirectional GF fabrics prior to laminate fabrication. The CNC coatings are examined using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements to evaluate the...

Developing green, sustainable, and high-performance cellulose-based paper materials to replace single-use plastic packaging is both promising and essential to meet consumer demands and industry targets for renewable packaging. Herein, a novel starch-cellulose nanofibril multilayer coated paper with excellent oxygen and improved water vapor barrier properties was developed. Starch was used as a base layer to fill the porous structure of the paper, thereby reducing the amount of functional TEMPO-mediated oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TCNFs) required to achieve oxygen barrier properties....

The construction sector increasingly emphasizes renewable materials like wood from sustainably managed forests due to wood’s low embodied carbon and carbon storage potential, contributing to climate change mitigation. This study applies life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of softwood lumber manufacturing in New Brunswick, Canada. Data were gathered from a local softwood sawmill through survey questionnaires and on-site visits, capturing details on raw material extraction, production processes, and fuel sources used to power the sawmill. A life-cycle inventory...

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used in food packaging due to their thermal and liquid resistance; however, health and environmental concerns have driven efforts to develop safer alternatives. This study investigates the production of PFAS-free molded pulp trays using a pilot-scale fiber molding system scalable for industrial applications. The process involves vacuum-assisted fiber deposition, membrane prepress dewatering, and hot pressing. Process parameters were first optimized using a formulation of bleached hardwood kraft pulp, bio-based wax, alkyl ketene dimer, and...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent synthetic pollutants that resist degradation due to strong carbon–fluorine bonds, posing risks to ecosystems and human health through bioaccumulation, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. Adsorption has emerged as a cost-effective remediation approach, with biomass-based adsorbents offering sustainable alternatives to conventional materials due to their low cost and tunable surface chemistry. Reported adsorption capacities vary widely depending on material design. This review critically examines recent advances in the functionalization...

This study explores how anhydride esterification of kraft lignin (KL) influences an “eco-foaming” process that transforms 100% KL into rigid foams. KL was reacted with maleic (MA), succinic (SA), or phthalic (PA) anhydride in acetone. FTIR analysis confirmed hydroxyl consumption (diminished 3496/3372/ 3280 cm−1 bands) and formation of ester bonds at approximately 1712/1267/1130/1030 cm−1. The degrees of esterification (DE) ranged around 8.2% for MA, 7.9% for SA, and 6.3% for PA. Thermal analysis showed slightly higher glass-transition temperatures (Tg) and greater stability above 300 °C....

This paper introduced a simple, efficient method to prepare mechanically strong lignin-based foams (lignofoams) with open-cell structures using a facile baking technique. The self-expansion of lignin occurred without any additional chemical blowing agents, foaming agents, plasticizers, or lubricants. During heating, kraft lignin softened, and the internal water, either initially adsorbed or generated in situ through the dehydration of hydroxyl groups, acted as a natural blowing agent for foaming a porous foam structure. Incorporating a small amount of polypropylene (PP) enhanced mechanical...