TOKYO -- Competition is heating up among researchers working to develop products using cellulose nanofiber, or CNF, a strong, lightweight material derived from plants.
Since 2015, a number of products made with CNF have appeared on the market, including disposable diapers and ballpoint pens, as the stuff has moved out of the lab and into practical application. Last year, many companies, especially in the paper industry, began installing CNF production equipment. Now the "post-carbon-fiber" wonder material is attracting serious attention.
