Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** plastics waste is a growing problem…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** plastics waste is a growing problem for our society, and single-use containers are a major contributor to the accumulation of plastics in the environment, including oceans. Many existing packaging products, especially single-use containers, are made with unsustainable materials that do not easily degrade in soil or marine environments. Wood-derived packaging materials may be able to play a role in reducing the environmental footprint of single-use containers. Recent advances in wood-based nanotechnology offer the promise of new, advanced packaging materials that may be able to meet consumer demands for package performance and be sustainable and environmentally benign. When wood is broken down into sub-microscopic fibers that are only several nanometers in diameter, these nanofibers can have interesting properties that are unique from coarse wood fibers. One advantage of these cellulose nanomaterials is that they can form dense films that have been shown to be good barriers to oxygen and grease, which makes them strong candidates for use in packaging products. In this work, we are coating papers with cellulose nanomaterials and evaluating their barrier performance for packaging applications. We are also using advanced tools, such as light scattering and rheology (how the material flows), to help US better understand what makes good barrier coatings. Advancements in this research area are likely to lead to more sustainable barrier packaging products produced from wood and other plants, thus reducing the negative environmental impact of packaging products.