Now, isn’t nanotechnology also a sector to watch in 2004 according to some commentators?
I seem to be spending increasing amounts of time in Scandinavia. That’s not surprising as the region has long been a hotbed of innovative entrepreneurs and world-class academics. It is also home to some of the largest forestry products companies, ranging from wood pulp and paper manufacturers to Ikea.
A question that Scandinavians often raise is: “Will nanotechnology affect forest products?” The link between the two sectors is not as tenuous as you might initially think. Given the widespread use of forest products, from construction to printing, there are a number of areas where nanotechnology is already being applied. But, in common with most nanotech applications, the dynamics are neither simple nor obvious at first glance.
Paper and nanotechnology are already closely related. Various species of nanoparticle have been used in inks for a long time, either as pigments or to enhance conductivity. The rise of inkjet printing as a manufacturing technique for everything from thin films to plastic electronics has been a strong driver in the development of inks. But printing is not simply a matter of putting ink in contact with paper. The surface to print on is of high significance: many of the high-value glossy papers have complex coatings, and factors such as nanoscale roughness can affect the look and feel of the finished product.
Another area creating a lot of interest in the paper industry is the modification of natural fibres. This echoes the interest already seen in the textile industry. Whether treating, coating or modifying fibres for better performance, as companies such as U-Right and Nano-Tex are doing with clothing, or opening up new markets for products based on pulp and fibre, nanotechnology is edging onto the radar screens of many large Scandinavian producers.
Meanwhile, myriad forms of e-paper and flexible displays are currently under development. That said, it will probably be some time yet before your morning newspaper begins to look like the Daily Prophet from the Harry Potter films. In the meantime, Sony is expected to release the first mass-market e-book this spring using technology from Philips and E Ink - without cutting down a single tree.
Chemical production and environmental issues are also attracting more and more attention. The industry already makes use of a wide range of chemicals and sustains a dedicated chemical industry. Although employing raw materials that are managed sustainably (at least in the Nordic region), pulp and paper production has long been a target of environmental groups, as a result of issues such as forest destruction and environmental contamination by the organochlorines used in bleaching. High-pressure preservative treatments containing arsenic are already banned in the US, and a similar ban is being introduced in Europe this year. While alternatives exist, they are 10 to 25% more expensive, so there are opportunities for the chemicals sector to take a fresh look at what nanoscience can enable.
With nanotechnology creeping into every area of industry, forestry will not be immune. While facing threats ranging from environmental concerns to e-paper and alternative construction materials, there is a real need for innovation and a real business opportunity for the innovators in this sector. However, the surprise when a few applications of nanotechnology are mentioned makes one wonder whether this is an industry that literally cannot see the wood for the trees.