Development of new technologies for the pulp and paper industry

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The Canadian Pulp and Paper Industry is facing challenges due to emerging e-commerce and increasing competition from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and China, which rely on inexpensive labour costs and/or raw material. To remain healthy and competitive, the industry needs innovations in the development of new value-added products and/or of improved manufacturing processes. The present proposal by Dr. Yonghao Ni addresses these needs. He has established an extensive research program in the past 24 years on the development of new technologies/ products for the pulp and paper industry, which includes both the improvements in the present manufacturing processes/ products and novel processes/ products. In this application, he will continue the same research program and focus on two aspects, namely: 1) development and characterization of high electro-conductivity paper and its application for paper antenna and its application in the radio-frequency identification (RFID); ***2) production of high-quality cellulose material by increasing the purity.******Fiber Engineering, which creates values for cellulose fibers, has received much attention recently because cellulose fibers, due to their inherent advantages of sustainability, recyclability and bio-degradability, can be used to produce novel products that are usually made of plastics, metals, etc. The research on paper antenna and its application in the RFID fit the fiber engineering concept well. The outcome of the research will be of direct interest to the Canadian Pulp and Paper Industry, which strives for the development of new technologies that use cellulose fibers as raw material.******Cellulose (also known as dissolving pulp) is a growing sector in Canada. In the next 5 years Dr. Ni and his team are aiming to improve the quality of cellulose by enhancing the hemicellulose removal. The results will be expected to benefit this important sector. Canada, rich in forest resources, is a global leader in the cellulose (dissolving pulp) production, and all of the dissolving pulp produced in Canada is exported to other countries. It is expected that the research will have significant social/ economic benefits to the Canada.