Materials Project
Chase Pierson
451 Birket Dr
Durango, Colorado 81301
December 11, 2013
ICELANTIC SKIS
621 Kalamath St
Denver, CO 80204
To whom it may concern,
My name is Chase Pierson I am a 17 year old Big-Mountain skier /Powder Junky that loves to ski and throw down sick lines on the sides of slopes in Colorado. I live in Durango Colorado and I have been around skiing all my life. I hope to be entering some Big-Mountain competitions this year, keep an eye out for me. Recently in my chemistry class I learned about cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) which have several very desirable benefits if they were to be used in skis. I hope I can tell you more about these crystals and how they can benefit Icelantic skis.
Typically speaking, Skis are made of laminates, with a wood core laminated by some sort of polymer. The problem with this is; core shots, polymer peeling off the top of the ski and the laminates coming apart. The solution that I have found for this problem is Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC). Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were developed/discovered in part by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and by the US Forest Service. These nanocrystals show characteristics which resemble that of Kevlar and Carbon fiber, except for one main difference; cellulose nanocrystals are stronger and more rigid. The reason for this is the hydrogen bonds that connect the long strands of cellulose molecules together into three dimensional stacks. The reason hydrogen bonds are so strong is because it is an extreme case of dipole polarity. This means that the positive side and the negative side of a molecule line up with eachother, forming a very strong bond.
The most damage resilient skis I have skied on were a carbon fiber-Kevlar laminate, but even then I was taking nasty core shots and massive peels on the top of the ski. What if there was a simple solution to this problem? Laminate Cellulose nanocrystals into a ski to act as a base, part of the core and the top of the ski to create an all-around bomber of a ski. In fact Dr. William T. Winter, a chemistry professor and director of the Cellulose Research Institute at ESF stated; “By adding an ounce of crystals to a pound of plastic, you can increase the strength of the plastic by a factor of 3,000.” Cellulose nanocrystals exhibit an elastic modulus strength equal with that of carbon fiber but 50 GPa higher than Kevlar 49, furthermore the tensile strength of CNC is 7.5 GPa with Kevlar and carbon fiber having a strength of 3.5 GPa. Cellulose nanocrystals are very strong due to the hydrogen bonds that connect the individual molecules together and the long chains that they are constructed of. The only know man-made material that is stronger than cellulose nanocrystals is a carbon nanotube, which costs about 100 times as much.
The wood pulp that is the main ingredient used in cellulose nanocrystals is produced in a variety of different processes, all of which are designed to break down and wash away the lignin(waste material) and leave the cellulose fibers behind for further processing. These cellulose fibers are essentially the backbone of the cellulose nanocrystals; however they do not have very similar properties. They are very weak; this is because at this stage the fibers are still held together by large amounts of glucose. Glucose is sugar and in this situation, this amount of sugar is not a very strong bond. After this step, further processing breaks down the cellulose into nanofibrils, which are around 1 thousand times smaller than fibers. From this stage the nanofibrils are then processed to separate the different regions of the nanofibrils from closely packed cellulose chains to individual cellulose nanocrystals. The benefit of this substance is that cellulose nanocrystals are completely biodegradable.
The next big factor I have come across, year after year is cost. Even the best skis in the world; Icelantic Keeper, Armada Norwalk, Blizzard Cochise and the Salomon Q105 have very large price tags. You could say that you get what you pay for, which in many cases is quite a lot. But, wouldn’t you rather provide the customer with just as good of a ski for less money? Not to mention a stronger more durable ski? Cellulose nanocrystals can cost less than 10 percent of carbon fiber or Kevlar, and future figures show costs as low as $1 or $2 per kilogram.
Like many great things there is one setback, cellulose nanocrystals absorb water. However, if you layer the cellulose nanocrystals in a similar resin as used to adhere the layers of a ski together they will bond together, forming a water-proof structure. This structure which has been called “One of the strongest materials known to man” by the US Forest Service Laboratory and as of right now no skis take advantage of this great material. CNC is one of the few polymers that is biodegradable, this is due to the fact that cellulose nanocrystals are long chains of glucose held together via hydrogen bonds and when exposed/submerged and left in water they will biodegrade in 90 days. (Eco ski?) As an innovator that Icelantic is, I could see a ski with cellulose nanocrystals as the base, core and top of the ski.
In conclusion I feel that cellulose nanofibers will greatly improve the integrity and durability of your future skis. I have always been a fan of your skis and I would love to see you guys at the head of the innovation industry to push the limits of the sport and make the impossible possible. I look forward to hearing back from you on your ideas.
Thank you for your time,
Chase Pierson
[email protected]
Sources:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/09/wood-pulp-material/
http://umaine.edu/pdc/cellulose-nano-crystals/
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=933.php
451 Birket Dr
Durango, Colorado 81301
December 11, 2013
ICELANTIC SKIS
621 Kalamath St
Denver, CO 80204
To whom it may concern,
My name is Chase Pierson I am a 17 year old Big-Mountain skier /Powder Junky that loves to ski and throw down sick lines on the sides of slopes in Colorado. I live in Durango Colorado and I have been around skiing all my life. I hope to be entering some Big-Mountain competitions this year, keep an eye out for me. Recently in my chemistry class I learned about cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) which have several very desirable benefits if they were to be used in skis. I hope I can tell you more about these crystals and how they can benefit Icelantic skis.
Typically speaking, Skis are made of laminates, with a wood core laminated by some sort of polymer. The problem with this is; core shots, polymer peeling off the top of the ski and the laminates coming apart. The solution that I have found for this problem is Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC). Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were developed/discovered in part by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and by the US Forest Service. These nanocrystals show characteristics which resemble that of Kevlar and Carbon fiber, except for one main difference; cellulose nanocrystals are stronger and more rigid. The reason for this is the hydrogen bonds that connect the long strands of cellulose molecules together into three dimensional stacks. The reason hydrogen bonds are so strong is because it is an extreme case of dipole polarity. This means that the positive side and the negative side of a molecule line up with eachother, forming a very strong bond.
The most damage resilient skis I have skied on were a carbon fiber-Kevlar laminate, but even then I was taking nasty core shots and massive peels on the top of the ski. What if there was a simple solution to this problem? Laminate Cellulose nanocrystals into a ski to act as a base, part of the core and the top of the ski to create an all-around bomber of a ski. In fact Dr. William T. Winter, a chemistry professor and director of the Cellulose Research Institute at ESF stated; “By adding an ounce of crystals to a pound of plastic, you can increase the strength of the plastic by a factor of 3,000.” Cellulose nanocrystals exhibit an elastic modulus strength equal with that of carbon fiber but 50 GPa higher than Kevlar 49, furthermore the tensile strength of CNC is 7.5 GPa with Kevlar and carbon fiber having a strength of 3.5 GPa. Cellulose nanocrystals are very strong due to the hydrogen bonds that connect the individual molecules together and the long chains that they are constructed of. The only know man-made material that is stronger than cellulose nanocrystals is a carbon nanotube, which costs about 100 times as much.
The wood pulp that is the main ingredient used in cellulose nanocrystals is produced in a variety of different processes, all of which are designed to break down and wash away the lignin(waste material) and leave the cellulose fibers behind for further processing. These cellulose fibers are essentially the backbone of the cellulose nanocrystals; however they do not have very similar properties. They are very weak; this is because at this stage the fibers are still held together by large amounts of glucose. Glucose is sugar and in this situation, this amount of sugar is not a very strong bond. After this step, further processing breaks down the cellulose into nanofibrils, which are around 1 thousand times smaller than fibers. From this stage the nanofibrils are then processed to separate the different regions of the nanofibrils from closely packed cellulose chains to individual cellulose nanocrystals. The benefit of this substance is that cellulose nanocrystals are completely biodegradable.
The next big factor I have come across, year after year is cost. Even the best skis in the world; Icelantic Keeper, Armada Norwalk, Blizzard Cochise and the Salomon Q105 have very large price tags. You could say that you get what you pay for, which in many cases is quite a lot. But, wouldn’t you rather provide the customer with just as good of a ski for less money? Not to mention a stronger more durable ski? Cellulose nanocrystals can cost less than 10 percent of carbon fiber or Kevlar, and future figures show costs as low as $1 or $2 per kilogram.
Like many great things there is one setback, cellulose nanocrystals absorb water. However, if you layer the cellulose nanocrystals in a similar resin as used to adhere the layers of a ski together they will bond together, forming a water-proof structure. This structure which has been called “One of the strongest materials known to man” by the US Forest Service Laboratory and as of right now no skis take advantage of this great material. CNC is one of the few polymers that is biodegradable, this is due to the fact that cellulose nanocrystals are long chains of glucose held together via hydrogen bonds and when exposed/submerged and left in water they will biodegrade in 90 days. (Eco ski?) As an innovator that Icelantic is, I could see a ski with cellulose nanocrystals as the base, core and top of the ski.
In conclusion I feel that cellulose nanofibers will greatly improve the integrity and durability of your future skis. I have always been a fan of your skis and I would love to see you guys at the head of the innovation industry to push the limits of the sport and make the impossible possible. I look forward to hearing back from you on your ideas.
Thank you for your time,
Chase Pierson
[email protected]
Sources:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/09/wood-pulp-material/
http://umaine.edu/pdc/cellulose-nano-crystals/
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=933.php
“How has the chemistry of materials shaped our past, present and how may it shape our future?”
Chemistry is in our everyday life. Chemistry has made materials in our past; helped man go to the moon. In our present; saving lives with cellular development, keeping lives. In our future; new developments to increase the lives and ability to access goods in an easier way.
“How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine a material’s properties?”
Everything has a different scale to it. Every material has a structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic level the only difference is the detail that each level provides. Something that is changed on the atomic level is going to change the whole molecule whereas something changed on the molecular level might not necessarily change on the atomic level.
Chemistry is in our everyday life. Chemistry has made materials in our past; helped man go to the moon. In our present; saving lives with cellular development, keeping lives. In our future; new developments to increase the lives and ability to access goods in an easier way.
“How does the structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels determine a material’s properties?”
Everything has a different scale to it. Every material has a structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic level the only difference is the detail that each level provides. Something that is changed on the atomic level is going to change the whole molecule whereas something changed on the molecular level might not necessarily change on the atomic level.