Paper manufacturing firm Daio Paper Corp., recently launched the first paper toilet cleaner made from CNF. CNF’s ultrafine fiber composition means that the product has the capacity to eliminate bacteria and dirt around toilets, according to Daio.
Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd. In 2015 launched a ballpoint pen in North America that contains ink mixed with CNF. CNF, which is ultrafine, makes pens easier to write with, according to the company. “With CNF, ink comes out smoothly even when you write quickly, which was not always the case with traditional ink,” the company says.
Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. has been selling adult diapers made from CNF since October 2015. CNF has a large surface to trap metallic ions, thus reducing odor and killing bacteria.
Late last year, Onkyo Corp. launched audio speakers that use diaphragms made of CNF. Onkyo says CNF speakers can recreate the sound of a live performance.
The versatile, biobased material is also expected to be used in automobile parts, solar panels, and cosmetics in the near future, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.