Materials and structures
Creating different materials with the help of the cellulose building blocks you have obtained
Cellulose is the structural element in all green plants on earth. It is envisioned that various man-made materials and material concepts similarly will benefit from the unique properties of cellulose. In order to explore such possibilities, equipment for making cellulose-based materials and structures is included in the infrastructure.
Pilot Coater
Coating Development at RISE PFI
Using the VCML Pilot Coater to Support Product Development
At RISE PFI, we offer coating services using a versatile roll‑to‑roll pilot coater (VCML) that supports a wide range of development and testing. The equipment enables coating on most flexible substrates, including paper, board, plastic, and textiles. A high range of viscosities and solvents (both water‑based and organic) are suitable for coating, and several coating heads can be adapted to the type of coating and the thickness you want to achieve. Drying conditions can be adjusted between hot air and IR lamps to obtain the desired coating quality.
The VCML coater is particularly well suited for early‑stage development, optimization work, and proof‑of‑concept studies. It is easy to switch between coating solutions, and the equipment has very little dead volume, which makes it especially valuable when developing new products or working with limited volumes or experimental materials. The coater also serves as a practical intermediate step between small‑scale laboratory rod coating and semi‑industrial high‑speed coating.
We can also assist in producing small batches of coated material for evaluation and further testing.
To support the development process, we offer analytical services such as surface imaging (optical and electron microscopy); barrier property testing for liquids and gases; and mechanical performance testing.
Key characteristics of the VCML coater
Some key characteristics of the VCML coater
Coating heads available:
- Knife over roll
- Reverse gravure
- Offset gravure
Drying possibilities:
- 3 ovens with independent temperatures up to 200°C
- 5 IR lamps
- Heated nip up to 150°C
Options:
- Corona pre-treatment
- Lamination after coating
Web width up to 300mm.
SP VirTis AdVantage Pro freeze-dryer
Want to create high-performance, porous biomaterials without compromising their structure?
Freeze drying allows materials to be dried without structural collapse, enabling the development of porous, lightweight, and high performance products such as aerogels and advanced fiber structures. Our expertise and laboratory equipment give industry partners the ability to test ideas quickly, reduce risk, and obtain reliable results without investing in their own infrastructure.
As sustainability, resource efficiency and green innovation become increasingly important, drying technology plays a key role in developing new bio-based products. Cellulose, lignocellulose and other fiber rich biomaterials are complex, porous and highly sensitive to drying conditions. Traditional drying methods can lead to pore collapse, agglomeration, changes in fiber architecture and loss of functional properties. Freeze drying takes place at low temperatures and low pressure, where water is removed directly from ice to vapor through sublimation.
Our SP VirTis AdVantage Pro Freeze Dryer is well suited for drying porous biomaterials, where preservation of microstructure is critical. Its precise control of shelf temperature and vacuum enables gentle sublimation, minimizing collapse or shrinkage of delicate pore networks. In hydrogels and aerogels, stepwise control of freezing temperature and freezing rate allows modulation of pore size and orientation through ice templating. Combined with programmable freezing rates, advanced endpoint detection, and uniform shelf heating, the system provides consistent, reproducible results across samples – ideal for both research and industrial development.
Read more at rise-pfi.no – Freeze Drying
NORCELlab addresses the thematic priority areas “Nanotechnology and advanced materials”, “Bioeconomy”, “Food”, “Health” and “Petroleum” through the applications of the cellulosic building blocks.
NORCELlab is owned by RISE PFI
The laboratory will comprise three categories of infrastructure, all located in the same building (Høgskoleringen 6b, Trondheim): i) production and processing of micro- and nanocelluloses, ii) production of micro- / nanocellulose-based materials and structures and iii) characterization of micro- /
nanocelluloses and structures made thereof.
RISE PFI is part of RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden
Contact
- RISE PFI AS
- Høgskoleringen 6b
- NO - 7491 Trondheim
- firmapost@rise-pfi.no
- +47 73 60 50 65
Follow us on Linkedin