Cellulose Nanofibre Workshop -15th July 2016
BioPRIA has held the 2nd Cellulose Nanofibre Workshop in collaboration with Appita. This workshop provides an overview of the applications for cellulose nanofibres, the world-wide market and future outlook and more significantly, the current capabilities within Australia in the production of this emerging material and its applications. On the day, [...]
Cellulose Nanofibre Workshop – 15th July 2016 – BioPRIA, Monash University
BioPRIA has held the 2nd Cellulose Nanofibre Workshop in collaboration with Appita. The aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of the applications for cellulose nanofibres, the world-wide market and future outlook and more significantly, the current capabilities within Australia in the production of this emerging material and its applications.
On the day, there were approximately 30 attendees from industry and academia. Welcome addresses were given by Professor Gil Garnier (Director of the Bioresource Processing Research Institute of Australia – BioPRIA) and Dr. Warren Batchelor (Deputy Director of BioPRIA and leader of the Materials Platform of the Bioresource Advanced Manufacturing Initiative – BAMI Industry Transformation Research Hub).
Both morning and afternoon sessions were filled with interesting presentations. Dr. Warren Batchelor discussed worldwide research production and trends. This was followed by characterisation of cellulose nanofibre dimensions in suspension and its effect on the flocculation mechanisms and drainage time presented by Ms. Praveena Raj from BAMI, Monash University. Similarly, Professor Darren Martin from University of Queensland, also shared business development and commercial opportunities with Spinifex-derived nanocellulose technology. At the end of the morning session, demonstrations were given of cellulose nanofibre production and sheet manufacture. This was followed by a product showcase which included nanofibre aerogels for oil-water separation, latex-nanofibre composites, tempo oxidised nanofibre gels and barrier layers.
The day continued with an interesting talk on the applications of cellulose nanofibres in recyclable thermoplastic nanocomposites from Associate Professor Takuya Tsuzuki, Australian National University. More diverse presentations were also given by Monash University’s researchers on the application of nanocellulose. This included the possibilities of spraying nanocellulose in the base sheet for packaging applications and cellulose nanofibre hydrogels.
Finally, to conclude the workshop, Professor Gil Garnier thanking everyone who organised, participated and supported the event. Many attendees felt that there has been significant improvement in terms of variety of topics covered during the day, and that they were satistified with the quality of presentations delivered. The attendees also gave constructive feedback on the workshop and they would like to see more university-industry research collaboration to understand the application and commercialisation of research outcomes in the industry.