NoPa - Novas Parceiras Project

Background:

Science and technology continue to move toward renewable, environmentally friendly and sustainable materials. Cellulose and its derivatives are of growing importance in the development of functional polymeric materials. Cellulose is a fascinating and sustainable natural raw material characterized by exciting properties. It represents the main source for the preparation of sustainable materials at industrial scale. Nowadays, the research on cellulose focuses on the production of a new fibrous cellulose with nanometers dimensions, namely Nanocellulose. This cellulose has the potential to be utilized as a reinforcement material for the preparation of bionanocomposites.

Many techniques have been developed in order to prepare Nanocellulose. Most of them involve chemical routes based on non-environmentally friendly wet chemistry and very strong acids. Therefore, there is a great interest in developing green technologies for the production of this valuable material. Lonic liquids have appeared in the horizon as a promising alternative because of their green properties. They are non-volatile, non-flammable, and thermally stable. In addition, they have shown very intersting dissolution ability and specificity for wood components. Therefore, a great attention is being paid to the structure and properties of thos unique liquids and their applications in different areas of interest.

Finally, the green chemistry principes can be introduced into the developement of the Nanocellulose production technology using ionic liquids. This green alternative could support a larger scale production of Nanocellulose from harvesting residues of the Amazon forests.

Objectives:

The ultimate goal of this Amazon project is to provide alternative high value business opportunities from the biomass left at the forest harvesting sites. Specifically, perspectives for the local production of nanocellulose should be proposed to companies which sustainably manage the forest in Brazil.

First Task:

Optimization of a Sustainable Forest biomass Chain Supply:

This task aims to acces quantitatively and qualitatively the harvesting and processing residues and to find solutions on how this raw material can be collected and brought to processing units for value aggregation in an efficient way.

Second Task:

Development of a Green Nanaocellulose Production Technology:

The objective is to delvelop an environmentally friendly technology for the production of cellulose nanofibers from harvesting residues. 

Third Task:    

Assessment of the Economic Feasibility for Implementation of the Nanocellulose Technology in the Amazon Region:

This work package will shed some light on the economic feasability  of a Nanocellulose production site in the Amazon region.