Document Type

Article

UMaine receives patent for composite laminates bound with cellulose nanofibers

Authors

Ashley Forbes

Publication Date

2-18-2021

Abstract/ Summary

The University of Maine has been issued a patent for a process to create strong composite laminates that are bound with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). This technology, called Cellubound™, is part of UMaine's widening patent portfolio of strong, environmentally friendly products bound with CNF.

The process developed by UMaine researchers involves soaking sheets of paper in a CNF slurry, then layering the soaked sheets together and using a heated press to remove the water and bond the layers. The resulting product, made entirely of paper and uniquely impregnated with CNF, is strong, stiff and board-like, with the potential to replace plastics in a wide range of applications. It is also biodegradable, compostable, requires relatively little energy to produce, and the paper used for layering could be recycled from the waste stream.

Repository Citation

Forbes, Ashley, "UMaine receives patent for composite laminates bound with cellulose nanofibers" (2021). General University of Maine Publications. 1038.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/univ_publications/1038

Version

publisher's version of the published document

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