Valida Nanocellulose

Produced by processing woodfibre down to the smallest fibre component, nanocellulose was developed during the 1980s, but was not successfully commercialised because of the energy intensive production process involved. Sappi's patented process does not require significant energy inputs. What's more, the chemicals used in the process can be recycled easily and reused without generating large amounts of effluent.

What is nanocellulose?

Cellulose is the main component of plant stems, leaves and roots. Traditionally, its main commercial use was in producing paper and textiles. Nanocellulose opens up opportunities for advanced, planet-friendly solutions in place of environmentally harmful products. It currently exists in three forms:
• Cellulose Micro Fibrils (CMF)
• Cellulose Nano Fibrils (CNF)
• Cellulose Nano Crystals (CNC)

All processes involve the separation of CMF, CNF and CNC from the woodfibre.

Our focus

Sappi has built a pilot-scale plant for CNF production, at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in The Netherlands. Although designed to produce CNF, the plant will also be capable of producing CMF. Feedstock to the plant will be sourced from sustainable and certified sources.

Advantages of nanocellulose
Nanocellulose offers paper producers numerous benefits such as lighter basis mass without compromising strength, higher filler content and improved paper machine efficiency through higher wet web strength at higher freeness. It can also enhance barrier functionality in both food and industrial applications.
Unique physical properties of nanocellulose:
• In crystalline form, eight times the tensile strength of steel • Very stiff and lightweight • Sustainable, renewable, biocompatible and biodegradable • Derived from cellulose — the most abundant polymer on earth, and • More importantly, a renewable resource.
Interested in this product?
Get in touch with us - Valida@sappi.com

Sappi’s CNF

The CNF produced by Sappi has unique morphology, and can be specifically modified for either hydrophobic or hydrophilic applications. Products produced using Sappi’s CNF will benefit from the high strength characteristics which, for example, can be translated into lighter and stronger fibre-reinforced composites and plastics in the production of next-generation lighter, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Sappi CNF could also be used in a wide range of other industrial and everyday products and devices due to its ability to improve on the properties of materials with which it is combined, for example, thickening water-based products such as paints, foods and concrete. Because of CNF’s low oxygen permeability, it could also be a future replacement for plastic films in composite packaging.

Other applications include films in lithium batteries and touch-screens. As cellulose is inherently biocompatible and bio-absorbable, there is considerable potential in biomedical applications such as wound dressings and regenerative medicine.

Nano in context
The Greek word 'nanos' means 'dwarf'. One nanometre is one-billionth of a meter. A sheet of A4 paper is about 100,000 nanometres thick. A typical pinhead is about 1.5 million nanometres in diameter. A typical nanocellulose fibre would be approximately 15-30 nanometres in width.
Our strategy
Nanocellulose aligns with Sappi’s strategy of developing opportunities in new and adjacent markets.

Potential uses

Among its many potential uses, nanocellulose can be used as:
• A substitute for metal materials such as high-tech spun fibres, for example in vehicle manufacture
• Antimicrobial films and water absorbent pads in medical applications
• Electronic displays
• In sensors that could help monitor structures like bridges to detect stresses
• Food packaging material that prevents oxygen entry and spoiling
• A flavour carrier, suspension stabiliser and thickener in food
• A thickener in industrial applications
• As aerogel to mop up oil spills, and
• As an additive to improve the mechanical properties of rubber, latex, thermosetting resins, soya protein and starch-based matrices.

Want to know more?

Please click here to view our FAQs on ‘Nanocellulose’.

Les progrès en matière de transformation du bois suivent la trajectoire d’une économie fondée sur les produits biologiques à base de matériaux renouvelables et biodégradables et qui ne mettent pas en péril les sources de nourriture.

Le lignosulfonate est un dérivé de la lignine très soluble et un produit issu du procédé de fabrication au bisulfite.

Le lignosulfonate peut être utilisé dans une grande variété d’applications.

Les sucres d’hémicellulose issus des arbres sont appelés sucres de deuxième génération et ne mettent pas en péril les cultures alimentaires, contrairement aux sucres d’hémicellulose de première génération issus de cultures agricoles.
Sappi s’emploie à produire de l’énergie verte conformément à son objectif stratégique de génération de valeur à partir d’opportunités du secteur de l’énergie et compte tenu des tendances favorisant la durabilité et l’efficacité.
La technologie est au cœur de nos activités; découvrez comment nous réalisons des progrès et des découvertes qui transforment notre quotidien.