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New Composite Materials Based on Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC)

December 12, 2013

Work funded by NORAM and ArboraNano in the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia has led to the development of a new family of materials based on Cellulose Nanocrystals, or CNC.

Recent research published by Prof. Mark MacLachlan et al. highlights the intriguing properties of a class of amino resins with chiral nematic mesoporous structures. The new materials are prepared by templating with CNC additives, and the chiral nematic organization of CNCs is transferred to the polymer resins. These amino resins have hierarchical structures that give rise to a range of unique properties, including a controllable optical iridescence akin to that encountered in nature, such as in the chitin in beetle wings.

CNC, or NCC™, crossed the threshold of commercial-scale production with the commissioning of the world’s first industrial demonstration facility, designed and engineered by NORAM. Companies drawn from the coatings, chemical, automotive and aerospace industries, as well as NORAM, have pursued new applications for CNC under the auspices of industry association ArboraNano, the Canadian Forest NanoProducts Network.

> For more information see: Mesoporous Materials and
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