Started providing samples of CNF-Reinforced Resin"cellenpia^(R)PLAS for 3D printing applications”

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (head office : Chiyoda-ku,President and Representative Director: Toru Nozawa, hereinafter referred to as"the Company”) is pleased to announce the release of CNF-Reinforced Resinmaterial for 3D printers using the PBF (Powder Bed Fusion) method (Note 1) of Fuji Leatherinnovative materials We have developed it at the research laboratorydemonstration facility and started providing samples. Demand for PBF 3D printers is growing due to their ability to produce high-strength molded products, excellent productivity and customization, and the ability to use a wide variety of materials, among 3D printers that are expanding in the global market. TheCNF-Reinforced Resin"3D printers "cellenpia^®PLAS ^®” developed this time is based on CNF-reinforced PA6. Compared to PA6 with glass beads, which is one of the mainstream materials of the current PA6 series, the molded products are uniform, lightweight, and highly recyclable, so they are expected to be used for custom-made molded products rather than mass production, such as automobile parts that have discarded old molds and various prosthetics that require fine adjustments.

We produce TEMPO the Company oxidized CNF (Note 2) at the Ishinomaki mill for general industrial applications, and Carboxymethylated CNF (CM-based CNF) (Note 3) at the Ezu mill for food and cosmetics applications, and sell them nationwide. In addition, at the Fuji mill, we are developing parts in collaboration with Yamaha Motor Company for theCNF-Reinforced Resin"cellenpia^®PLAS ”in demonstration production. We are providing samples to each user (Note 4), and since November last year, we have also established a sample supply system for "ELAS ^® ”a natural rubber containing CNF (Note 5). In addition, in April this year, we developed and began providing samples of microfibrillatedcellulose(MFC) (Note6) using a portable and adjustable manufacturing machine, and added TD-02X (Note7), a powder product of TEMPO oxidized CNF, to the lineup to create the"cellenpia ^® Series” We aim to further expand sales. Nippon Paper Industries will accelerate the creation of newinnovative materialsand CNFs as"a comprehensive biomass company shaping the future with trees”and contribute to the construction of plastic reduction and global warming countermeasures.

(Note 1) The PBF method is a method in which there is a pre-heating tank and a molding tank in the printer, and the powder material for molding is heated in the pre-heating layer, and then the material is poured into the molding tank by 0.1~0.3mm with a scramble, and the material is melted by laser irradiation, and this process is repeatedly molded.

(Note 2) CNF produced by oxidizingcellulose(raw pulp) by TEMPO catalyst and then by minor defibering. Very thin CNF with fiber width approx. 3nm

(Note 3) CNF produced by carboxymethylation (CM) of cellulose(raw pulp) and minor defibering. CNF https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/products/cnf/ with fiber width of a few nm~tens of nm　

(Note 4) Nippon Paper Industries "Yamaha Motor and CNF-Reinforced Resin Collaboration on Application Development”https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/news/year/2022/news221116005347.html

(Note 5) Nippon Paper Industries "Started Offering Samples of CNF-Containing Natural Rubber cellenpia Elas^TM"”https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/news/year/2022/news221205005358.html　

(Note 6) Nippon Paper Industries "Development of Microfibrillatedcellulose(MFC) by Portable and Adjustable Manufacturing Machine and Started Providing Samples https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/news/year/2023/news230420005446.html

(Note 7) Nippon Paper Industries "Developed” and Started Providing”"Samples of TEMPO Oxidized CNF Powder Product "cellenpia ^®TD-02X"https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/news/year/2023/news230427005448.html