Increased Market Demand
Introduction
The final solution to increase the international demand for New Zealand wood pulp is producing Nano-crystalline Cellulose as a composite (and eventually as a pure plastic when the technology becomes available) for many different applications such as in the automotive, aerospace, military, boats, and technology industries with potential to expand into more. The reason why Nano-crystalline Cellulose has been chosen over the other top 5 ideas as the final solution is because if poses the biggest market growth in the next 55 years. Some of the biggest challenges that are going to be faced is developing the production technology to bring the price down to a level that can compete with steels and plastics within the next 10 years. There are other challenges in the implementation of this idea like waterproofing car panels. One simple solution to this is to paint them, but there is research going into treating the surface of the Nano-crystalline Cellulose to make it water proof. Expanding into these multi-million dollar markets should secure the demand for New Zealand Wood pulp for at least the next 55 years.
Integration into Industry
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Automotive: There is a lot of potential to expand into the automotive industry. All plastics and even car panels can be replaced with nano-crystalline cellulose composites. This is due to its light weight but large strength properties, and cheap and renewable ingredients compared to the current materials. These composites are injection moulded which is no more costly or expensive than methods used to produce the current products that nano-crystalline cellulose will replace.
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Aerospace: There is also huge potential for nano-crystalline cellulose growth in the aerospace industry. This is because of the same reasons as it’s suitability in the automotive industry; high strength, low weight properties, and cheap and renewable ingredients.
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Boats: For the same reasons as the automotive and aerospace industries, nano-crystalline cellulose has great potential to be expanded into the industry. There are more challenges to this application such as waterproofing (which all industries would face but is essential in this industry). A simple solution to this might be to use a waterproof paint, but there is research going into treating the surface to make it repel water.
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Military: Due to nano-crystalline cellulose incredible strength to weight ratio there is massive potential to produce body armour and blast shields for the military. This would open up a massive market for New Zealand wood pulp securing it a thriving future.
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Technology: Nano-crystalline cellulose also has the properties of being transparent and electrically conductive in some forms. This means there is huge potential for growth in the technology industry where nano-crystalline cellulose could be used in screens and other electrical components. Due to its transparency, it could be used for windshields in the other industries.
Implementation
At the moment, the biggest research is going into composites containing nano-crystalline cellulose with promising results. These are moulded through the process of injection moulding, meaning that almost any shape can be made as a component for application. Depending on the composites thermo-setting properties, applications could extend to 3D printing. With development, there is potential to for pure plastics made entirely out of nano-crystalline cellulose. With these possibilities stands the potential many applications including, but not limited to, the industries discussed above.
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Written by: Conrad Williams