U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Announces Grants in Partnership with USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory for Cellulosic Nanomaterial Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (June 10, 2021)

Greenville, SC — The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment), in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, announces the awarding of $2.4 million in grants to accelerate the use of nanocellulosic materials across various industries to use in a range of applications.

The partnership is funding ten projects ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 and lasting one to three years.

Cellulosic nanomaterials are made by breaking down renewable wood from trees into particles less than 1/1000^th the thickness of a human hair. These materials are as strong as steel, yet only one-fifth the weight. They can be used to protect, enhance, and strengthen many commercial materials.

“The Endowment is working to keep our forests healthy, valuable, and intact. We believe markets are essential to forest conservation, as markets help bring forests additional value. Cellulosic nanomaterials are a new market with tremendous economic potential, along with solutions squarely aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change.” said Michael Goergen, Endowment Vice President, Innovation and Director, P3Nano.

Cellulosic nanomaterials have a wide range of uses and are low cost, sustainable, and abundant. They are offering multiple industries sustainable solutions that can strengthen materials, develop safer materials and even reduce carbon footprints.

The following is the projects awarded by the Endowment and the Forest Service:

Awardee	Project
Oregon State University, Western Pulp Products, and FPL	Utilizing Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF) and agricultural waste to expand market opportunities for molded pulp products
The University of Texas at Arlington, Performance BioFilaments Inc, US Concrete, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and FPL	Application of CNF as Durability Performance Enhancing Additives for Cement and Concrete Industry
University of Maine, Nyle Systems LLC, Pleasant River Lumber, and FPL	Development of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hybrid moisture selective membranes
Rice University, Oceanit, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and FPL	Cellulose Nanocrystal-Protein Nanocomposite Coating for Perishable Fruits
Temple University, UW-Madison, TAKTL LLC, and FPL	Application of Cellulose Nanomaterials in 3D printed Sustainable Building Composites
AVAPCO, Birla Carbon, and FPL	From Trees to Tires: Nanocellulose Dispersion Composite™ (NDC) Scale-up for On-Road Tire Trials
Beth Cormier, Qi Wang, Xiao Zhang, Sefik Tunc	Frost Protection of Tree Fruits by CNF – Cost Optimization and Field Trials for Commercialization
Tom Parker, JoAnn Parker, Qinglin Wu, Dan Wallace	TigerBullets-Nano: Cellulose Nanomaterials Mediated Fluid Additive for Energy Industry
Vireo Advisors	Environmental health and safety of cellulosic nanomaterials
University of Wisconsin	Life cycle assessment and economic analysis of cellulosic nanomaterials

Since 2013, the Endowment and Forest Products Laboratory have partnered through the P3Nano project to accelerate the commercialization of cellulosic nanomaterials. The goal is to develop sustainable and environmentally-friendly forest products that can be used in a variety of industries and commercial goods, including those where forest products have not always been considered a material of choice.

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Media Contact

Brandon Walters, Communications and Administrative Coordinator. (864) 233-7647; brandon@usendowment.org

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.