91 Dr. rer. nat. Carmen Gruber-Traub Phone +49 711 970-4034 carmen.gruber-traub@ igb.fraunhofer.de Dr. rer. nat. Achim Weber Phone +49 711 970-4022 achim.weber@igb.fraunhofer.de Contact challenge here is to achieve dispersion of the NFC in the poly- mer matrix that is as homogenous as possible. Our develop- ment offers a sustainable alternative to companies that wish to convert their residues containing cellulose into higher-end products. For example, novel sources of raw material, such as cotton, could be exploited for the production of nanocel- lulose. In collaboration with industrial partners, we therefore intend to work on follow-up projects to fully exploit material in residual biomass for the production of nanocellulose and on upscaling of the overall procedure. Perspectives The coming years will reveal whether nanocellulose can win through against competing materials e g carbon fibers or graphene), both with reference to the cost and applications. 1 Lignocellulose biorefinery with decomposition to produce NFC. 2 NFC produced from residual biomass from the Fraunhofer CBP lignocellulose biorefinery. 3 Fiber fraction from residual biomass (top) and composite material (NFC/polylactide, bottom). Literature [1] Yu, M.; Lourie, O.; Dyer, M.; Moloni, K.; Kelly, T.; Ruoff, R. (2000) Strength and Breaking Mechanism of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes under Tensile Load, Science Magazine 287: 637–640 [2] Crotogino, R. (2012) The economic impact of Nanocellulose; ArboraNano – International Symposium on Assessing the Eco- nomic Impact of Nanotechnology, Washington DC, 27.03.2012 2 3 Phone +49711970-4034 Phone +49711970-4022 23