Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. (TYO:3863) is moving forward with plans to commercialize resins reinforced with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) for automotive applications. The firm has invested a total of 300 million yen ($2.67 million) in a demonstration facility that recently went into operation in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture. The facility has the capacity to produce more...
CNF
Taiyo Holdings Develops World’s First CNF-Based Insulating Material
Taiyo Holdings Co. Ltd. (TYO:4626) plans to lose no time in commercializing an insulating material made from cellulose nanofiber (CNF). With optimized hydrophobicity and concentration levels, the company’s recently developed CNF-based insulating material combines higher strength and low thermal expansion. This is the world’s first example of CNF being used in an insulating material. Solder...
Oji Aims to Break the 10B Yen Barrier With CNF Sales
Oji Holdings Corp. (TYO:3861) has unveiled its strategy for commercializing cellulose nanofiber (CNF). Oji aims to grow net sales of CNF to 10 billion – 20 billion yen ($91.56 million – $183.12 million) and secure a 30-percent market share in terms of materials supplied by around 2025. This marks the first time that the company...
Taiyo Holdings Develops World’s First Insulation Technology to Use CNF
Taiyo Holdings Co. Ltd. (TYO:4626) has developed a technology that is the first in the world to use cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as an insulating material for electronic components. Conventionally, resin used in insulating material for printed wiring boards is combined with fillers to reduce thermal expansion. This is due to the fact that the insulating...
Nippon Paper Opens World-Leading CNF Production Line
Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd. (TYO:3863) announced on April 25 that the cellulose nanofiber (CNF) production line at its Ishinomaki mill in Miyagi Prefecture has gone online. The 1.6 billion yen ($14.39 million) facility has the capacity to produce 500 tons of CNF annually, making it one of the world’s largest. Regarded as the most...
KRI Develops CNF Production Process That Could Cut Prices by 90%
KRI Inc. has established a simple new method of manufacturing powdered cellulose nanofiber (CNF). The company says that the new method could reduce the cost of manufacturing the material to 10 percent the cost of conventional methods. Current manufacturing methods involve complex processes requiring expensive catalysts and enormous amounts of energy. KRI plans to develop...
Seiko PMC Readies for Mass Production of CNF Compounded Resin Pellets
Seiko PMC Corp. (TYO:4963) will begin commercial manufacture of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) compounded resin pellets, which the company expects customers to make use of after having provided sample work. To prepare for mass production, Seiko PMC will boost production capacity at a pilot plant located within the larger Ryugasaki Plant in Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture. Blending...
Asahi Kasei to Develop CNF Nonwoven Fabric for Electronic and Cell Culture Applications
Asahi Kasei Corp. (TYO:3407) plans to develop business in cellulose nanofiber (CNF) nonwoven fabric. The company will first commercialize a product for such applications as cell culture base materials, electronic materials and heat exchange membranes within two to three years. It will also build a system for mass production and explore applications for automotive component...
Kyoto University, Mitsubishi Chemical to Offer CNF-Related Patents to Third Parties
Kyoto University and Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. on Feb. 27 announced the start of a licensing program in which the two entities will offer to third parties jointly held patents related to cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). These will include important patents for denaturing CNFs and making composites with resins as well as other related patents. With Kyoto...
Mitsui Chemical Analysis & Consulting Upgrades CNF Dispersion Evaluation for Resin Composites
Mitsui Chemical Analysis & Consulting Service Inc. has upgraded a service by which it evaluates the state of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) dispersion in resin. Using newly developed dyeing technology, the service incorporates the ability to identify individual microscopic fibers only a few nanometers in diameter. In addition to paper manufacturers and chemical companies, inquiries are...
Toppan Printing Develops Color-Emitting CNF
Toppan Printing Co. Ltd. (TYO:7911) has developed a mixture of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and particles of silver that serves as a material for creating an array of colors. Utilizing proprietary technology for completely controlling the shape and size of silver particles bonded to a CNF surface, one can make the material absorb certain specified wavelengths...
Japan’s Environment Ministry Starts Lightweight Vehicle Program Using CNF
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has launched the Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) Project, aimed at using cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and resin compounds to reduce motor vehicle weight by 10 percent by 2020, thereby cutting vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A consortium for the project was launched in late October, comprising 20 research organizations and...
Chuetsu Pulp to Commercialize Newly Developed Pure CNF Moldable Material for Dental Products
Chuetsu Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd. (TYO:3877) has developed a novel moldable material comprised of cellulose nanofiber (CNF). The 3D-processed material, wholly made of CNF, can be designed into various shapes. The company aims to first market the product as a material for lightweight and durable dentures. Details for the manufacturing method for the new...
Kao Develops Hydrophobizing Cellulose Nanofiber
Kao Corp. (TYO:4452) has developed a technology for processing cellulose nanofiber (CNF) to render its surface hydrophobic, making it easier to blend with resins at high dispersion rates. The company has begun providing samples of a liquid containing the treated CNF at high dispersion rates, which are difficult to produce with typically hydrophilic untreated CNF....
DIC Drastically Improves Brittle Properties of Epoxy Resin With CNF
DIC Corp. (TYO:4631) announced on Oct. 7 that it has developed a composite material consisting of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) mixed in an epoxy resin in which the brittle properties – a weakness of epoxy resins – have been drastically improved. DIC is also proceeding to look into the development of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP),...
Asahi Kasei Aims to Develop Reinforced Plastics Using CNF Bonded Textiles
Asahi Kasei Corp. (TYO:3407) is looking to develop new reinforced plastics using resin-saturated bonded textiles made of cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The initial effort will focus on the development of thermoplastic resins suitable for use with CNF bonded textiles, as well as optimum methods for impregnation of the fabric. CNF bonded textiles are made with porous...
Cellulose Nanofiber Market Expected to Reach 1 Trillion Yen by 2030
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is moving to support Japanese industry in the field of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) materials, a market it sees expanding to 1 trillion yen ($9.96 billion) by 2030. Made from lumber, CNF is a strong, light fibrous substance consisting of microscopic fibers from a few to several dozen...
