Ronald C. Sabo
Research Materials Engineer
Engineered Composites Science
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53726-2398
United States
Madison, WI 53726-2398
United States
Phone
608-231-9530
Current Research
Dr. Ron Sabo's research aims at developing next generation composites using sustainable forest resources and a fundamental understanding of material properties and interactions. His work aims to develop advanced composites by understanding and exploiting the properties of materials at the nanometer and molecular scales. More specifically, he is working to develop novel composites produced from natural fibers that have been processed and modified into nanoparticles and nanofibers with unique physical and mechanical properties. Dr. Sabo also has research activities aimed at developing 'green' composites using biodegradable, bio-derived, or recycled materials.
Research Interest
- Cellulose nanocomposites
- 'Green' composites
- Recycling
- Modification and characterization of lignocellulosic surfaces
- Reactive extrusion
- Colloidal and interfacial phenomena
Education
- University of Florida, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 2001
- Vanderbilt University, B.E., Chemical Engineering and Mathematics, 1997
Featured Publications
- Peng, Jun; Walsh, Philip J.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Clemons, Craig M.. 2016. Water-assisted compounding of cellulose nanocrystals into polyamide 6 for use as a nucleating agent for microcellular foaming
- Barari, Bamdad; Ellingham, Thomas K.; Ghamhia, Issam I.; Pillai, Krishna M.; El-Hajjar, Rani; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Sabo, Ronald. 2016. Mechanical characterization of scalable cellulose nano-fiber based composites made using liquid composite molding process
- Seo, Jung-Hun; Chang, Tzu-Hsuan; Lee, Jaeseong; Sabo, Ronald; Zhou, Weidong; Cai, Zhiyong; Gong, Shaoqin; Ma, Zhenqiang. 2015. Microwave flexible transistors on cellulose nanofibrillated fiber substrates
- Peng, Jun; Ellingham, Thomas; Sabo, Ron; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Clemons, Craig M.. 2014. Short cellulose nanofribrils as reinforcement in polyvinyl alcohol fiber
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Zhu, J.Y.; Agarwal, Umesh; Cai, Zhiyong; Wu, Yiqiang. 2013. A comparative study of cellulose nanofibrils disintegrated via multiple processing approaches
- Zhu, Junyong; Sabo, Ronald; Luo, Xiaolin. 2011. Integrated production of nano-fibrillated cellulose and cellulosic biofuel (ethanol) by enzymatic fractionation of wood fibers
- Sabo, Ronald; Clausen, Carol A.; Winandy, Jerrold E.. 2008. Thermochemical remediation of preservative-treated wood
- Postek, Michael T.; Vladar, Andras; Dagata, John; Farkas, Natalia; Ming, Bin; Sabo, Ronald; Wegner, Theodore H.; Beecher, James. 2008. Cellulose nanocrystals the next big nano-thing?
Patents
- Zhu, JunYong; Sabo, Ronald; Clemons, Craig - 2014 - Method for Integrated Conversion of Lignocellulosic Material to Sugars or Biofuels and Nano-Cellulose
- Gong, Shaoqin; Javadi, Alireza; Zheng, Qifeng; Cai, Zhiyong; Sabo, Ronald - 2017 - Sustainable Hybrid Organic Aerogels and Methods and Uses Thereof
Other Publications
- Natarajan, Madhumitha ; Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2022. Improving gas barrier properties of sugarcane‐based LLDPE with cellulose nanocrystals
- Díaz-Mendoza, Juan Miguel; Valles-Rosales, Delia J.; Park, Young H.; Sabo, Ronald C.. 2022. Micromechanical Modeling for Tensile Properties of Wood Plastic Composites: Use of Pruned Waste from Pecan Orchards as Sustainable Material for Reinforcement of Thermoplastic Composite
- Clemons, Craig ; Sabo, Ronald. 2021. A Review of Wet Compounding of Cellulose Nanocomposites
- Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2021. Potential of extrusion-blown poly(lactic acid)/cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposite films for improving the shelf-life of a dry food product
- Dunlop, Matthew J.; Sabo, Ronald ; Bissessur, Rabin ; Acharya, Bishnu. 2021. Polylactic Acid Cellulose Nanocomposite Films Comprised of Wood and Tunicate CNCs Modified with Tannic Acid and Octadecylamine
- Lafia-Araga, Ruth Anayimi; Sabo, Ronald ; Nabinejad, Omid ; Matuana, Laurent ; Stark, Nicole. 2021. Influence of Lactic Acid Surface Modification of Cellulose Nanofibrils on the Properties of Cellulose Nanofibril Films and Cellulose Nanofibril–Poly(lactic acid) Composites
- Sabo, Ronald C.. 2020. Cellulose nanomaterials and their products from hardwoods
- Yermakov, Aleksey ; Thompson, Andrew ; Coaty, Christopher ; Sabo, Ronald ; Law, Chiu Tai; Elhajjar, Rani. 2020. Flexible magnetostrictive nanocellulose membranes for actuation, sensing, and energy harvesting applications
- Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.; Lebow, Patricia ; Nabinejad, Omid ; Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2020. Novel method of compounding cellulose nanocrystal suspensions into poly(lactic acid) and poly(vinyl acetate) blends
- Dunlop, Matthew J.; Clemons, Craig ; Reiner, Richard ; Sabo, Ronald ; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Bissessur, Rabin ; Sojoudiasli, Helia ; Carreau, Pierre J.; Acharya, Bishnu. 2020. Towards the scalable isolation of cellulose nanocrystals from tunicates
- Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.; Wei, Liqing ; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2019. Wet compounding of cellulose nanocrystals into polylactic acid for packaging applications
- Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2018. Water vapor and oxygen barrier properties of extrusion-blown poly(lactic acid)/cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposite films
- Stark, Nicole M.; Wei, Liquing ; Sabo, Ronald C.; Reiner, Richard R.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2018. Effect of freeze-drying on the morphology of dried cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and tensile properties of poly(lactic) acid-CNC composites
- Wei, Liqing; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Matuana, Laurent; Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.. 2018. Performance of high lignin content cellulose nanocrystals in poly(lactic acid)
- Peng, Jun; Zhang, Huilong; Zheng, Qifeng; Clemons, Craig M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Gong, Shaoqin; Ma, Zhenqiang; Turng, Lih-Sheng. 2017. A composite generator film impregnated with cellulose nanocrystals for enhanced triboelectric performance
- Hassanzadeh, Masoumeh; Sabo, Ronald; Rudie, Alan; Reiner, Richard; Gleisner, Roland; Oporto, Gloria S.. 2017. Nanofibrillated cellulose from appalachian hardwoods logging residues as template for antimicrobial copper
- Wei, Liqing; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Hirth, Kolby C.; Matuana, Laurent M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.. 2017. Chemical modification of nanocellulose with canola oil fatty acid methyl ester
- Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Matuana, Laurent M.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.. 2017. Effect of compounding approaches on fiber dispersion and performance of poly(lactic acid)/cellulose nanocrystal composite blown films
- Wei, Liqing; Agarwal, Umesh; Stark, Nicole; Sabo, Ronald. 2017. Nanocomposites from lignin-containing cellulose nanocrystals and poly(lactic acid)
- Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2017. Blown film extrusion of poly(lactic acid) without melt strength enhancers
- Wei, Liqing; Luo, Shupin; McDonald, Armando G.; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Hirth, Kolby C.; Matuana, Laurent M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Stark, Nicole M.. 2017. Preparation and characterization of the nanocomposites from chemically modified nanocellulose and poly(lactic acid)
- Karkhanis, Sonal S.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Matuana, Laurent M.. 2017. Performance of poly(lactic acid)/ cellulose nanocrystal composite blown films processed by two different compounding approaches
- Wang, Wangxia; Mozuch, Michael D.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Kersten, Philip; Zhu, Junyong; Jin, Yongcan. 2016. Endoglucanase post-milling treatment for producing cellulose nanofibers from bleached eucalyptus fibers by a supermasscolloider
- Wei, Liqing; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Matuana, Laurent. 2016. Modification of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for use in poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-CNC composite packaging products
- Sabo, Ronald; Yermakov, Aleksey; Law, Chiu Tai; Elhajjar, Rani. 2016. Nanocellulose-enabled electronics, energy harvesting devices, smart materials and sensors: a review
- Wang, Wangxia; Sabo, Ronald C.; Mozuch, Michael D.; Kersten, Phil; Zhu, J. Y.; Jin, Yongcan. 2015. Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cellulose Nanofibril Films from Bleached Eucalyptus Pulp by Endoglucanase Treatment and Microfluidization
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Wu, Yiqiang; Zhu, J.Y.; Cai, Zhiyong. 2015. Self-assembled optically transparent cellulose nanofibril films: effect of nanofibril morphology and drying procedure
- Wang, Wangxia; Mozuch, Michael D.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Kersten, Phil; Zhu, J.Y.; Jin, Yongcan. 2015. Production of cellulose nanofibrils from bleached eucalyptus fibers by hyperthermostable endoglucanase treatment and subsequent microfluidization
- Sabo, Ronald C.; Elhajjar, Rani F.; Clemons, Craig M.; Pillai, Krishna M.. 2015. Chapter 15: Characterization and Processing of Nanocellulose Thermosetting Composites
- Qamhia, Issam I.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Elhajjar, Rani F.. 2014. Static and Dynamic Characterization of Cellulose Nanofibril Scaffold-Based Composites
- Zhang, Chunmei; Dan, Yi; Peng, Jun; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Sabo, Ronald; Clemons, Craig. 2014. Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber Composites Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals from Southern Pine
- Zhang, Chunmei; Zhai, Tianliang; Sabo, Ronald; Clemons, Craig; Dan, Yi; Turng, Lih-Sheng. 2014. Reinforcing Natural Rubber with Cellulose Nanofibrils Extracted from Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft Pulp
- Agarwal, Umesh; Sabo, Ronald; Reiner, Richard; Clemons, Craig; Rudie, Alan. 2013. Chapter 1.4: Spatially Resolved Characterization of CNC-Polypropylene composite by Confocal Raman Microscopy
- Zheng, Qifeng; Javadi, Alireza; Sabo, Ronald; Cai, Zhiyong; Gong, Shaoqin. 2013. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) hybrid organic aerogels with superior mechanical properties
- Sabo, Ronald; Zhu, J.Y.. 2013. Chapter 2.1 Integrated Production of Cellulose Nanofibrils and Cellulosic Biofuel by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of wood Fibers
- Sabo, Ronald; Seo, Jung-Hun; Ma, Zhenqiang. 2013. Chapter 2.3 Cellulose Nanofibril Composite Substrates for Flexible Electronics
- Cai, Zhiyong; Rudie, Alan W.; Stark, Nicole M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Ralph, Sally A.. 2013. Chapter 6: New Products and Product Categories in the Global Forest Sector
- Sabo, Ronald; Basta, Altaf H.; Winandy, Jerrold E.. 2013. Integrated Study of the Potential Application of Remediated CCA Treated Spruce Wood in MDF Production
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Cai, Zhiyong; Wu, Yiqiang. 2013. Resin impregnation of cellulose nanofibril films facilitated by water swelling
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Cai, Zhiyong; Wu, Yiqiang. 2013. Flexible cellulose nanofibril composite films with reduced hygroscopic capacity
- Sabo, Ronald; Jin, Liwei; Stark, Nicole; Ibach, Rebecca E.. 2013. Effect of environmental conditions on the mechanical properties and fungal degradation of polycaprolactone/microcrystalline cellulose/wood flour composites
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Zhu, J.Y.; Cai, Zhiyong; Wu, Yiqiang. 2013. Comparative study of cellulose nanofibrils Disintegrated from different Approaches
- Srithep, Yottha; Sabo, Ronald; Clemons, Craig; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Pilla, Srikanth; Peng, Jun. 2012. Effect of Material Parameters on Mechanical Properties of Biodegradable Polymers/Nanofibrillated Cellulose (NFC) Nano Composites
- Srithep, Yottha; Turng, Lih-Sheng; Sabo, Ronald; Clemons, Craig. 2012. Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) reinforced polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) nanocomposites: properties, solubility of carbon dioxide, and foaming
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Wu, Yiqiang; Cai, Zhiyong. 2012. High-Performance Cellulose Nanofibril Composite Films
- Sabo, Ronald; Seo, Jung-Hun; Ma, Zhenqiang. 2012. Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Substrates for Flexible Electronics
- Agarwal, Umesh P.; Sabo, Ronald; Reiner, Richard S.; Clemons, Craig M.; Rudie, Alan W.. 2012. Spatially Resolved Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Polypropylene Composite by Confocal Raman Microscopy
- Postek, Michael T.; Vladar, Andras; Dagata, John; Farkas, Natalia; Ming, Bin; Wagner, Ryan; Raman, Arvind; Moon, Robert J.; Sabo, Ronald; Wegner, Theodore H.; Beecher, James. 2011. Development of the metrology and imaging of cellulose nanocrystals
- Clemons, Craig M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Kaland, Michael L.; Hirth, Kolby C.. 2011. Effects of silane on the properties of wood-plastic composites with polyethylene-polypropylene blends as matrices
- Clemons, Craig M.; Sabo, Ronald C.; Hirth, Kolby C.. 2011. The effects of different silane crosslinking approaches on composites of polyethylene blends and wood flour
- Basta, Altaf H.; El-Saied, Houssni; Winandy, Jerrold E.; Sabo, Ronald. 2011. Preformed amide-containing biopolymer for improving the environmental performance of synthesized urea–formaldehyde in agro-fiber composites
- Agarwal, Umesh P.; Sabo, R.; Reiner, Richard S.; Clemons, Craig Merrill; Rudie, Alan W.. 2009. <p>Raman analysis and mapping of cellulose nanocrystal-polypropylene composite</p>
- Sabo, Ronald; Winandy, Jerrold E.; Clausen, Carol A.; Basta, Altaf. 2008. Remediation and recycling of WBP-treated lumber for use as flakeboard
- Qing, Yan; Sabo, Ronald; Wu, Yiqiang; Zhu, J.Y.. 1994. A synoptic climatology for forest fires in the NE US and future implications for GCM simulations
Research Highlights
Improving the Hydrolysis and Fibrillation of Wood Into Cellulose Nanomaterials
Year: 2016
Cellulose nanomaterials have been receiving an increasing amount of interest from both the scientific and industrial communities because of their interesting properties, including good strength, absorbency, and optical properties, such as transparency when cast as a film. Cellulose nanofibrils tradi...
Renewable, Biodegradable Polylactic Acid-Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites for Packaging Applications
Year: 2016
Packaging research conducted at the Forest Products Laboratory is aimed at developing fully biobased composites containing cellulose nanomaterials for packaging applications. Cellulose nanomaterials exhibit a number of interesting properties and have been demonstrated to improve the barrier performa...
Improving biopolymers for packaging applications using surface-tailored cellulose nanocrystals
Year: 2017
Demand is rapidly increasing for environmentally friendly packaging materials that are derived from renewable resources and are biodegradable, but many of these “green” polymers do not perform as well as traditional, fossil fuel-derived polymers. By adding tailored cellulose nanocrystals, which are ...
Modifying Cellulose Nanomaterials for Wet Compounding into Polylactic Acid
Year: 2018
Cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs) have been demonstrated to significantly improve various properties, including mechanical and barrier performance, of polymer composites, but one of the major impediments for producing these cellulose nanocomposites is the profound challenge of drying the nanomaterials ...
Wet Compounding of Cellulose Nanomaterials into Biodegradable Polymers
Year: 2019
Research at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory has shown that cellulose nanomaterials can improve the barrier properties of polymer films, and such improvements can lead to an increased shelf-life for food. But compounding cellulose nanomaterials into thermoplastic polymers presents ...
Flexible Magnetostrictive Nanocellulose Composites for Actuation, Sensing, and Energy Harvesting Applications
Year: 2020
Cellulose nanofibril films embedded with magnetostrictive particles were shown to predictably bend under a magnetic field and to change their magnetic properties under stress, making these composites potential candidates as actuators, sensors, and energy harvesting applications.
Integrating the Production of Nanofibrillated Cellulose and Biofuels
Year: 2011
FPL researchers have demonstrated a method of integrating the production of cellulose nanofibers and biofuels. Such a strategy is expected to improve the economics and reduce the financial risks associated with producing nanocellulose and biofuels from forest-based materials.
Short Cellulose Nanofibrils Reinforce Aligned Polyvinyl Alcohol Fibers
Year: 2014
Cellulose nanomaterials have recently gained much attention for their potential use for reinforcing polymers and for use in functional materials. Forest Service researchers developed procedures for creating short cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) that are similar in shape and morphology to cellulose nano...
Cellulose Nanofiber Composites Can Serve as Substrate for Flexible Electronics
Year: 2012
Transparent films made from cellulose nanofibers have low thermal expansion and the potential to serve as a foundation for flexible electronics.
Improved Composites from Wood Flour and Mixed Plastics
Year: 2010
In a cooperative project with Louisiana State University, Forest Products Laboratory researchers have used crosslinking technologies, commonly used in the cable coating industry, to optimize the performance of composites of mixed plastics and wood flour.