Canada's Pulp and Paper Sector Whose Revenues Have Dropped 38% Over The Past Decade

In the original tale of The Three Little Pigs, only the bricklaying piglet survives the wolf’s attack. If only the first two porkers had known about nanocrystalline cellulose, they’d have survived too. This near-impenetrable substance is processed from sticks and straw. Canada’s pulp and paper sector whose revenues have dropped 38% over the past decade, is betting this remarkable material will bolster its bottom line here in the real world. Cellulose is one of the key building blocks of all plant life. Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)—pine needle-shaped crystals that measure less than 10 nanometres in length—is extracted from dried and bleached woody biomass; Even a human hair is 10, 000 times wider by comparison. Together, the crystals display some remarkable properties. Stronger than steel, but many times less dense, NCC is an attractive additive for materials that need to be tough, rigid and lightweight, such as auto and airplane parts. When formed into a film, the crystals can reflect ultraviolet and infrared light (good for energy-efficient window films), and respond to magnetic and electrical fields (ideal for encryption inks). NCC is currently being tested for dozens of applications and might one day find its way into consumer products as diverse as golf clubs and nail polish. Starting in early 2012, CelluForce—a joint venture between Domtar and the non-profit research institute FPInnovations—will begin transforming wood pulp into NCC at its newly constructed commercial demonstration plant in Windsor, Quebec. At peak production, the facility should produce about a tonne of NCC daily from two tonnes of pulp. There are other runners in this race: Nova Scotia-based BioVision makes NanoCell, a chemically modified version of NCC at a pilot plant in Montreal, while Alberta Innovates is looking to make it from both wood and straw. Take that, bricks. Source: theglobeandmail.com