Walker, Tajvidi talk with News Center Maine about ‘Nanocellulose Valley’

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

July 24, 2019 Advanced Materials for Infrastructure and Energy, School of Forest Resources, Signature and Emerging Areas, Sustainability Solutions and Technologies, UMaine in the News

News Center Maine interviewed Colleen Walker and Medhi Tajvidi for its story about nanocellulose research at the University of Maine, the lone facility in the United States with the ability to produce 1 ton of nanocellulose per day. Nanocellulose, made from wood pulp, is renewable, biodegradable and strong, and can be used to make a number of eco-friendly products. “I believe it puts Maine in this very unique position. Maine has the potential to become what I call ‘Nanocellulose Valley,’” said Walker, director of UMaine’s Process and Development Center. “You have the production, you have the raw material through the state of Maine, and the people that can develop the application.” Tajvidi, an assistant professor of renewable nanomaterials at UMaine, told News Center that his target applications “are basically things that are high-volume, lower-value products like building products and household items.” Particleboard is one product that Tajvidi is working on creating with nanocellulose. “You replace that formaldehyde-based resin with nanocellulose, so basically we are using wood to bind wood products together.”