Roll-to-Roll Processing of Nanocellulose into Barrier Coatings Webinar

Nanocellulose has gained significant attention due to its abundance, biodegradability, biocompatibility, barrier properties, and functionalization potential. Its use as barrier coating and in films has attracted both academic and industrial interest because of its high impermeability to oxygen, grease, and oils. Nanocellulose has been considered a promising alternative to non-biodegradable plastics and metallic aluminum in food packaging applications.

However, before nanocellulose barrier coatings can be commercialized, several challenges must be overcome. These include high viscosity and yield stress even at low solid content, high drying cost, difficulties in achieving uniform thin coatings in a continuous roll-to-roll process, and high sensitivity to moisture which can lead to deterioration of the barrier properties at high humidities.

The webinar presents strategies for processing nanocellulose suspensions as a barrier coating on paper-based substrates and discusses the challenges expected in the up-scaling of the process.