A Fundamental Review of the Relationships between Nanotechnology and Lignocellulosic Biomass - The Nanoscience and Technology of Renewable Biomaterials - page 20

4. Nanotechnology in sensors, processing and process control - use nonobtrusive,
nanoscale sensors for monitoring and control during wood and wood-based materials
processing to provide data on product performance and environmental conditions
during end use service, and to impart multifunctional capabilities to products.
• Identify microbial species or chemical/optical/physical agents that are unique
fingerprints or signatures of food spoilage, medical contamination, or product
degradation, and develop methodologies for incorporating these agents into

nonobtrusive, low-cost, robust nanosensors for food and medical packaging

materials.
• Investigate genetic and chemical modifications of wood lignocellulose materials to
enable basic sensing capabilities and self regulation (e.g. for moisture, temperature,
volatile organic compounds (VOCs)).
• Investigate and develop paper and wood product coating technology and coating
materials that can deploy nanosensors to these products through mechanical or
chemical means.
• Study and develop methods to synthesize data from arrays of nanosensors in order
to generate useful information for action or process control.
• Develop cost-effective, efficient, environmentally preferable and highly selective
nanostructured catalysts for disassembling wood and lignocellulose.
• Carry out research on the use of nanomaterials in conjunction with unit operations
processing wood and wood-based materials.
5. Analytical methods for nanostructure characterization - adapt existing analytical tools
or create new tools (e.g. chemical, mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic)
that accurately and reproducibly measure and characterize the complex nanoscale
architecture and composition of wood and wood-based lignocellulosic materials.
• Create and maintain a compendium of available analysis tools.
• Develop techniques and tools to measure hemicellulose polymer structure and prop-
erties at the nanoscale.
• Develop techniques and tools to measure lignin structure and properties at the
nanoscale.
• Develop methodologies and instrumentation to determine cell wall morphology and
measure properties at the nanoscale.
• Develop and deploy new collaborative strategies for analysis involving multiple
techniques.
6. R&D collaboration to include the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and its
centers - this area emphasized the importance of collaboration and cooperation among
researchers from various disciplines and organizations, including universities, research
institutes, national laboratories, and government agencies and departments. Linkages
were needed to be made between research communities of the forest products sec-
tor and the broader community of nanotechnology researchers in order to capture
synergies, enhance accomplishments, and avoid needless duplication of facilities and
efforts. Identified research entities that need to be engaged include:
• individual researchers;
• researchers with differing disciplines;
• basic and applied researchers and research teams;