How Wood Pulp, the Future Material?

Wood pulp. (Picture from:  
http://www.mikeroweworks.com/)

Wood pulp produced from the trees in the forest can be the belle of the material in the future. This material can be used as components of a computer, body armor, and other products.

During this time, the pulp from the forest-including Indonesia, is widely used to make paper. Of the latest findings, processed wood pulp material is called nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC).

This material is transparent, lightweight, and inexpensive. The structure is essentially formed from the composition of the needle like crystals. Its strength counted eight times stronger than stainless steel.

"This material is a natural and renewable version of the carbon nanotube," said researcher material physics, Jeff Youngblood, from NanoForestry Institute, Purdue University.

NCC-making process begins with purifying timber. Compounds lignin and hemicellulose from wood-shelled this material can be used as fuel such as ethanol. Wood pulp that is then milled and crushed into pulp.

Mixing with certain acids to make porridge thickens as pasta. Cooling makes this material be lightweight, able to absorb water, and can intercept the flow of electricity. "This material is very wonderful. Abundant amount," he said.

Nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC) making process diagram. (Picture from: http://www.chemeng.mcmaster.ca/)

Even more interesting is the nano cellulose on NCC measuring 200 nanometers or twice the size of the HIV virus. Consequently, this material does not require a lot of wood. Factory harness enough branches, twigs, or sawdust. "As the converts waste into gold," he said.

The United States has opened the first NCC plant in Madison, Wisconsin, July 26, 2012. American think tank science institute, the National Science Foundation, predicted this material will be a large-scale industrial materials worth U.S. $ 600 billion by 2020.

Pioneer Electronics companies from Japan began using this material as a flexible electronic display. International Business Machines (IBM) use these materials to assemble computer components. *** [NEWSCIENTIST | ANTON WILLIAM | KORAN TEMPO 3979]

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