Conductive Cellulose based Foam Formed 3D Shapes-From Innovation to Designed Prototype

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Sustainable Manufacturing

Background:

• Developing electrically conductive materials from renewable resources is crucial for sustainable technologies.
• Traditional methods for creating conductive composites often involve multiple complex steps and hazardous chemicals.
• There is a need for scalable and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes for advanced cellulose-based materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, simplified method for manufacturing electrically conductive, non-woven, three-dimensional (3D) cellulose structures.
• To optimize the use of processing steps, materials, and hazardous chemicals in the production of cellulose-based conductive composites.
• To demonstrate the potential of foam forming technology for creating advanced functional materials.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing foam forming technology for the fabrication of cellulose-based composites.
• Optimizing a process involving a single surfactant type for dispersing nanocellulose (NC) and carbon nanotubes (CNT).
• Characterizing the electrical conductivity and structural homogeneity of the resulting 3D non-woven materials.

Main Results:

• Achieved a highly even distribution of CNTs within the NC network, resulting in an electrical conductivity of 7.7 S/m.
• Enhanced conductivity to 8.0 S/m after surfactant removal via acetone washing.
• Validated the material's applicability in a 'Salmiakki' design case study for a heating element.

Conclusions:

• The developed foam forming method offers an efficient and sustainable route to produce electrically conductive 3D cellulose structures.
• The optimized process minimizes material and chemical usage while maximizing the benefits of foam forming technology.
• The resulting cellulose-CNT composites show promise for applications requiring integrated heating elements and other conductive functionalities.