2023 Cellulose Nanomaterials Researchers Forum

Tuesday, August 22, 2023 Wells Conference Center

4:30 – 6:30 PM           Welcome Reception & Poster Preview

Wednesday, August 23, 2023        Wells Conference Center, Room 100

8:00 – 8:30 AM           Continental Breakfast & Coffee

8:30 – 8:32 AM           Welcome to Nanocellulose Valley, Forum Overview

8:32 – 9:05 AM Opening Keynote: “From Trees to Tires: Development and Scale-up of the Nanocellulose Dispersion Composite™”Kim Nelson, Ph.D., Ph.D., CTO, GranBio Technologies

9:05 – 9:20 AM “Sustainable, High-Performance, Cellulose-Based Thermal Insulation”Mark Fokema, VP R&D Aspen Products Group

9:20 – 9:35 AM “CNF for Fire-fighting Applications”James Anderson, Sr. R&D Program Manager II, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, University of Maine

9:35 – 10:00 AM      “Path forward – Valmet´s MFC technology development”Heli Kangas, Valmet

10:00 – 10:30 AM     Break

10:30 – 11:00 AM      “Production of microfibrillated cellulose using stirred media mills and selected applications”David Skuse, FiberLean Technologies Limited, UK

11:00 – 11:30 PM      “Cellulose Nanomaterial Production at the Forest Products Laboratory”Richard Reiner, USDA Forest Products Laboratory

11:30 – 12:00 PM        “Introduction to Technical Collaborations within the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Maine’s Hub and Spoke Program”Greg Simms, University of Maine

12:00 – 1:00 PM        Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 PM Student Rapid Fire Poster Presentations

2:00 – 2:30 PM “PrinTimber”Soledad Peresin, Auburn University

2:30 – 3:00 PM        Break

3:00 –3:30 PM  “Waterborne modifications to cellulose nanofibrils for biomaterials, coatings, and composites”Will Gramlich, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Maine

3:30 – 4:00 PM “P3Nano:  Removing Barriers to Cellulose Nanomaterials Utilization”Robert Moon, Ph.D.,  Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service

4:00 – 4:30 PM Pilot-Scale Preparation of a Surface Modified Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF) Composite FeedstockMeghan Lamm, Ph.D., R&D Associate Staff Member, Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies Group – Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

4:30 – 6:30 PM      Students Poster Competition  and  ART EXHIBITION:  Refined Intersections: Collaborations With Nanocellulose

Thursday, August 24, 2023

8:00 – 8:30 AM           Continental Breakfast, Coffee

8:30 – 9:15 AM Opening Keynote: “Safety and Regulatory Aspects of Cellulose Nanomaterials: Challenges and Needs”Jo Anne ShatkinPh.D., President, Vireo Advisors

9:15 – 9:45 AM “Plants sustain plants: Multiple applications of nanocellulose in agriculture”YongJiang Zhang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Plant Physiology, School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine

9:45 – 10: 15 AM         “What is happening at UMaine’s Laboratory of Renewable Nanomaterials”Mehdi Tajvidi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Renewable Nanomaterials, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine

10:15 – 10:30 AM     Break

10:30 – 11:00 AM       “Nanocellulose can reduce carbon emissions in food Packaging and construction” – Jeff Youngblood, Ph.D., Professor, School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University

11:00 – 11:30 AM      “Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) as additives in polymeric membranes for water vapor and air separation”Ling Li, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine

“Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of manufacturing a cellulose nanocrystal–based hybrid membrane”Naveenkumar Rajendiran, Research Associate, University of Wisconsin

11:30 – 12:00 PM         “Hybrid Natural Fiber/CNF Thermoplastic Composites”Katie Copenhaver, Ph.D., R&D Associate Staff, Manufacturing Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

12:00 – 1:00 PM        Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 PM           Tour of PDC

2:00 – 3:00 PM           Tour of ASCC