NANOTECHNOLOGY NANOTECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES IN RESIDENTIALOPPORTUNITIES IN RESIDENTIAL

AND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTIONAND COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Theodore H. WegnerTheodore H. WegnerJerrold E. WinandyJerrold E. Winandy

Michael A. RitterMichael A. RitterUSDA Forest ServiceUSDA Forest Service

Forest Products LaboratoryForest Products LaboratoryMadison, WIMadison, WI

USAUSANovember 16, 2005November 16, 2005

Materials US in the United States Materials US in the United States

on a Volume Basison a Volume Basis

88% of Single Family Structures are Wood Frame Construction

Wood & Competitive Materials Wood & Competitive Materials in Residential Buildingsin Residential Buildings

5%

5%

11%

39%

40%

Solid WoodOthersEngineered WoodMetalsPlastics

Over past 100 years > 7 Billion m3 of wood has been used in structures

Volume of MaterialsVolume of Materials

Housing & Non-residential Issues Housing & Non-residential Issues related to Use of Woodrelated to Use of Wood

• DurabilityDurability• MoistureMoisture• DecayDecay• TermitesTermites• WeatheringWeathering

• Fire PerformanceFire Performance• Disaster PerformanceDisaster Performance

• FireFire• FloodFlood• Hurricane/Tornado/Wind stormHurricane/Tornado/Wind storm

• Energy ConsumptionEnergy Consumption• Integrated Building SystemsIntegrated Building Systems

US Energy Consumption 2003US Energy Consumption 2003

17%

11%

34%

38%Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Transportation

~ 70 Quads

Decreasing energy use for space heating/cooling often Decreasing energy use for space heating/cooling often leads to moisture management and indoor air quality leads to moisture management and indoor air quality issues and problemsissues and problems

Reducing the Costs of Natural Disasters*Reducing the Costs of Natural Disasters*

Annual US Cost: tens – hundreds of Billions of DollarsAnnual US Cost: tens – hundreds of Billions of Dollars

* Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earth quakes, wind storms, * Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earth quakes, wind storms, Forest wildfire Forest wildfire

Annual Structures Fire LossesAnnual Structures Fire Losses

~3000 deaths and losses > $12 Billion annually~3000 deaths and losses > $12 Billion annually

Once the wood is damaged by weathering, it can’t hold paint. This Once the wood is damaged by weathering, it can’t hold paint. This structure was only 5 years old when this photograph was taken. structure was only 5 years old when this photograph was taken. It has been painted three times.It has been painted three times.

Decay caused by moisture entry because the sealant has failed or Decay caused by moisture entry because the sealant has failed or was not used properlywas not used properly

Mold:Mold: growing on wall growing on wall studs and oriented studs and oriented strandboard strandboard sheathing in a wall sheathing in a wall cavity due to cavity due to moisture build upmoisture build up

Law suits pending > Law suits pending > 10,00010,000

$3 Billion in claims $3 Billion in claims paid in 2002paid in 2002

Subterranean Termite Zones in N. AmericaSubterranean Termite Zones in N. America

Housing & Forestry in the USHousing & Forestry in the US- America’s Forests are a Major Strategic America’s Forests are a Major Strategic

National Asset (303 Million Hectares--31 National Asset (303 Million Hectares--31 Billion mBillion m3 3 of Wood--Growth to harvest over of Wood--Growth to harvest over 2:1)2:1)• Publicly owned and managed—129 million Publicly owned and managed—129 million

HectaresHectares• Privately held—174 million HectaresPrivately held—174 million Hectares

– America’s Forests provide Vital Ecological America’s Forests provide Vital Ecological ServicesServices• Carbon SequestrationCarbon Sequestration• Clean WaterClean Water• Animal HabitatAnimal Habitat• RecreationRecreation

– Stewardship and Sustainable Management Stewardship and Sustainable Management and Use of America’s Forests is critical to and Use of America’s Forests is critical to meeting America’s strategic needs for meeting America’s strategic needs for Materials, Products, Energy, and JobsMaterials, Products, Energy, and Jobs

2/3 of America’s forests are in the eastern US2/3 of America’s forests are in the eastern USAbout 3/4 of America’s private forests are in the East About 3/4 of America’s private forests are in the East

Forest Land: 303 million HectaresForest Land: 303 million HectaresTotal Land Area: 913 million HectaresTotal Land Area: 913 million Hectares

161 million Hectares at risk161 million Hectares at risk

Over 20 million hectares burned over Over 20 million hectares burned over last 10 years at a cost of $8.2 billion last 10 years at a cost of $8.2 billion for fire suppression (2005 – 3.36 for fire suppression (2005 – 3.36 million Hectares)million Hectares)

Nanomaterials OpportunitiesNanomaterials Opportunities

• Solve major societal problemsSolve major societal problems

(e.g. energy, medicine, environment, (e.g. energy, medicine, environment, manufacturing, communications, manufacturing, communications, computing, security, and forest computing, security, and forest management)management)

• Energize the economy for decadesEnergize the economy for decades

- Revitalize existing businesses (e.g. forest Revitalize existing businesses (e.g. forest products)products)

- Boost competitiveness globallyBoost competitiveness globally

- Create entirely new industriesCreate entirely new industries

Nanomaterials offer the potential for Nanomaterials offer the potential for unprecedented material performance that couldunprecedented material performance that could

Cellulose nanofiber bundles

Rosette (6 assembly proteins), which produces cellulose nanofibers

Candace Haigler and Larry BlantonCandace Haigler and Larry Blanton, , Cellulose: “You're surrounded by it, Cellulose: “You're surrounded by it, but did you know it was there?”but did you know it was there?”

www.ita.doc.gov/td/forestprod/www.ita.doc.gov/td/forestprod/

Cellulose synthesis and material Cellulose synthesis and material production: nature working production: nature working

across a length scale >10across a length scale >101010!!

~28nm

Source: Jeffery Catchmark, Source: Jeffery Catchmark, Penn State UniversityPenn State University

Nanotechnology Opportunities for Nanotechnology Opportunities for Current Forest Products & ProcessesCurrent Forest Products & Processes

• Sensors to monitor processes and product Sensors to monitor processes and product historyhistory

• Revolutionize separationsRevolutionize separations• Breakthrough surface characteristicsBreakthrough surface characteristics• Incredible bondingIncredible bonding• Dramatic simplification of production Dramatic simplification of production

processesprocesses• Significant synergy with forest Significant synergy with forest

biotechnologybiotechnology• Significant reduction in the need for energySignificant reduction in the need for energy

Nanotechnology Opportunities in Nanotechnology Opportunities in Housing & Non-residential Structures Housing & Non-residential Structures

Issues related to Use of WoodIssues related to Use of Wood

• SensorsSensors

• Barrier coatingsBarrier coatings

• Multifunctionality Multifunctionality – Durability & Low MaintenanceDurability & Low Maintenance

– Fire PerformanceFire Performance

– Disaster PerformanceDisaster Performance

– Energy Consumption/ProductionEnergy Consumption/Production

• Building component integrationBuilding component integration

Nanotechnology RoadmapNanotechnology Roadmap

www.nanotechforest.orgwww.nanotechforest.org

Vision:Vision:To sustainably meet the To sustainably meet the needs of present and needs of present and future generations for future generations for wood-based materials and wood-based materials and products by applying products by applying nanotechnology science nanotechnology science and engineering to and engineering to efficiently and effectively efficiently and effectively capture the entire range capture the entire range of values that wood-based of values that wood-based lignocellulosic materials lignocellulosic materials are capable of providing. are capable of providing.

Nanomaterials & Wood Nanomaterials & Wood Construction MaterialsConstruction Materials

• Superior Barrier Coatings, Films, & FillersSuperior Barrier Coatings, Films, & Fillers– Weather resistance (e.g. UV resistant Weather resistance (e.g. UV resistant

films & coatings)films & coatings)– Decay/mold Decay/mold resistanceresistance (e.g. ZnO, Ag, (e.g. ZnO, Ag,

TiOTiO22, Clay, moisture barriers), Clay, moisture barriers)– Fire resistance (e.g. Clay, TiOFire resistance (e.g. Clay, TiO22))– Termite resistanceTermite resistance– MultifunctionalityMultifunctionality– ““Breathable” surfaces -- Keep water out Breathable” surfaces -- Keep water out

yet allow water vapor to escapeyet allow water vapor to escape

Nanomaterials & WoodNanomaterials & Wood ConstructionConstruction MaterialsMaterials--continuedcontinued

• Smart Materials Smart Materials – Nanoscale SensorsNanoscale Sensors

• Moisture/Biological attackMoisture/Biological attack–Insect attack—termites/carpenter Insect attack—termites/carpenter

antsants–Decay fungiDecay fungi–MoldMold

• Structural Member loadingStructural Member loading– Self sterilizing surfacesSelf sterilizing surfaces

Nanomaterials & Wood Nanomaterials & Wood Construction MaterialsConstruction Materials--continuedcontinued

• Higher strength, stiffness, impact Higher strength, stiffness, impact resistant, & durable products & resistant, & durable products & materialsmaterials

• Cellulose nanofibrilsCellulose nanofibrils• Lighter weight with superior thermal insulationLighter weight with superior thermal insulation• Integrated Building components & systemsIntegrated Building components & systems

• Multifunctional – e.g. electrical, heating Multifunctional – e.g. electrical, heating & cooling& cooling

• Self repairing SystemsSelf repairing Systems

Federal Role in Nanotechnology Federal Role in Nanotechnology R&DR&D

• Support sustainable forestry and forest products Support sustainable forestry and forest products as a positive economic, social, and ecological as a positive economic, social, and ecological forceforce

• Promote, conduct, and support high risk, Promote, conduct, and support high risk, fundamental nanotechnology research fundamental nanotechnology research

• Acquire and maintain state of the art R&D Acquire and maintain state of the art R&D nanotechnology facilities and provide access to nanotechnology facilities and provide access to other partners to move the US forest-based other partners to move the US forest-based economy forwardeconomy forward

• Cooperate with industry, universities, other Cooperate with industry, universities, other governmental agencies, and international governmental agencies, and international partnerspartners

Thank you for Your AttentionThank you for Your Attention