Because of their excellent mechanical properties, light weight and biodegradability, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are attractive materials for next-generation reinforced biomaterials and bioplastics. However, the method for separating cellulose to make CNF, known as fibrillation, is energy-intensive, which limits applications for CNF. Now, in a collaborative project, scientists from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL; Oak Ridge, Tenn.; www.ornl.gov), along with teams from the University of Tennessee (Knoxville; www.utk.edu) and the University of Maine (Orono; www.umaine.edu), have developed a method for lowering the energy required to produce CNF from cellulose.