| 1. |
- Cervin, Nicholas Tchang, et al.
(författare)
-
Mechanisms behind the Stabilizing Action of Cellulose Nanofibrils in Wet-Stable Cellulose Foams
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 16:3, s. 822-831
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The principal purpose of the investigation was to clarify the mechanisms behind the stabilizing action of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in wet-stable cellulose foams. Following the basic theories for particle-stabilized foams, the investigation was focused on how the surface energy of the stabilizing CNF particles, their aspect ratio and charge density, and the concentration of CNF particles at the air-water interface affect the foam stability and the mechanical properties of a particle-stabilized air-liquid interface. The foam stability was evaluated from how the foam height changed over time, and the mechanical properties of the interface were evaluated as the complex viscoelastic modulus of the interface using the pendant drop method. The most important results and conclusions are that CNFs can be used as stabilizing particles for aqueous foams already at a concentration as low as 5 g/L. The major reasons for this were the small dimensions of the CNF and their high aspect ratio, which is important for gel-formation and the complex viscoelastic modulus of the particle-filled air-water interface. The influence of the aspect ratio was also demonstrated by a much higher foam stability of foams stabilized with CNFs than of foams stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with the same chemical composition. The charge density of the CNFs affects the level of liberation within larger aggregates and hence also the number of contact points at the interface and the gel formation and complex viscoelastic modulus of the air-water interface. The charges also result in a disjoining pressure related to the long-range repulsive electrostatic pressure between particle-stabilized bubbles and hence contribute to foam stability. (Figure Presented).
|
|
| 2. |
- Cervin, Nicholas Tchang, et al.
(författare)
-
Strong, Water-Durable, and Wet-Resilient Cellulose Nanofibril-Stabilized Foams from Oven Drying
- 2016
-
Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 8:18, s. 11682-11689
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Porous materials from cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been prepared using Pickering foams from aqueous dispersions. Stable wet foams were first produced using surface-modified CNFs as stabilizing particles. To better maintain the homogeneous pore structure of the foam after drying, the foams were dried in an oven on a liquid-filled porous ceramic frit. The cell structure was studied by scanning electron microscopy and liquid porosimetry, the mechanical properties were studied by compression testing, and the liquid absorption capacity was determined both with liquid porosimetry and by soaking in water. By controlling the charge density of the CNFs, it was possible to prepare dry foams with different densities, the lowest density being 6 kg m(-3), that is, a porosity of 99.6%. For a foam with a density of 200 kg m(-3) the compressive Young's modulus was 50 MPa and the energy absorption to 70% strain was 2.3 MJ M-3. The use of chemically modified CNFs made it possible to prepare cross-linked foams with water-durable and wet-resilient properties. These foams absorbed liquid up to 34 times their own weight and were able to release this liquid under compression and to reabsorb the same amount when the pressure was released.
|
|
| 3. |
- Cervin, Nicholas Tchang, et al.
(författare)
-
Ultra porous nanocellulose aerogels as separation medium for mixtures of oil/water liquids
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Cellulose. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0969-0239 .- 1572-882X. ; 19:2, s. 401-410
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A novel type of sponge-like material for the separation of mixed oil and water liquids has been prepared by the vapour deposition of hydrophobic silanes on ultra-porous nanocellulose aerogels. To achieve this, a highly porous (> 99%) nanocellulose aerogel with high structural flexibility and robustness is first formed by freeze-drying an aqueous dispersion of the nanocellulose. The density, pore size distribution and wetting properties of the aerogel can be tuned by selecting the concentration of the nanocellulose dispersion before freeze-drying. The hydrophobic light- weight aerogels are almost instantly filled with the oil phase when selectively absorbing oil from water, with a capacity to absorb up to 45 times their own weight in oil. The oil can also be drained from the aerogel and the aerogel can then be reused for a second absorption cycle.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Mushi, Ngesa Ezekiel Zekiel, et al.
(författare)
-
Nanostructurally Controlled Hydrogel Based on Small-Diameter Native Chitin Nanofibers : Preparation, Structure, and Properties
- 2016
-
Ingår i: ChemSusChem. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 1864-5631 .- 1864-564X.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chitin nanofibers of unique structure and properties can be obtained from crustacean and fishery waste. These chitin nanofibers have roughly 4nm diameters, aspect ratios between 25-250, a high degree of acetylation and preserved crystallinity, and can be potentially applied in hydrogels. Hydrogels with a chitin nanofiber content of 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0wt% were successfully prepared. The methodology for preparation is new, environmentally friendly, and simple as gelation is induced by neutralization of the charged colloidal mixture, inducing precipitation and secondary bond interaction between nanofibers. Pore structure and pore size distributions of corresponding aerogels are characterized using auto-porosimetry, revealing a substantial fraction of nanoscale pores. To the best of our knowledge, the values for storage (13kPa at 3wt%) and compression modulus (309kPa at 2wt%) are the highest reported for chitin nanofibers hydrogels.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Tchang Cervin, Nicholas, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
-
Lightweight and Strong Cellulose Materials Made from Aqueous Foams Stabilized by Nanofibrillated Cellulose
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 14:2, s. 503-511
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A lightweight and strong porous cellulose material has been prepared by drying aqueous foams stabilized with surface-modified nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC). This material differs from other dry, particle stabilized foams in that renewable cellulose is used as stabilizing particles. Confocal microscopy and high speed video imaging show that the octylamine-coated, rod-shaped NFC nanoparticles residing at the air-liquid interface prevent the air bubbles from collapsing or coalescing. Stable wet foams can be achieved at solids content around 1% by weight. Careful removal of the water results in a cellulose-based material with a porosity of 98% and a density of 30 mg cm(-3). These porous cellulose materials have a higher Young's modulus than porous cellulose materials made from freeze-drying, at comparable densities, and have a compressive energy absorption of 56 kJ m(-3) at 80% strain. Measurement with the aid of an autoporosimeter revealed that most pores are in the range of 300 to 500 mu m.
|
|
| 8. |
- Tchang Cervin, Nicholas, 1982-
(författare)
-
NFC Stabilized Foam
- 2013
-
Patent (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
|
|
| 9. |
- Tchang Cervin, Nicholas, 1982-
(författare)
-
Porous Materials from Cellulose Nanofibrils
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In the first part of this work a novel type of low-density, sponge-like material for the separation of mixtures of oil and water has been prepared by vapour deposition of hydrophobic tri-chloro-silanes on ultra-porous cellulose nanofibril (CNF) aerogels. To achieve this, a highly porous (>99%) robust CNF aerogel with high structural flexibility is first formed by freeze-drying an aqueous suspension of the CNFs. The density, pore size distribution and wetting properties of the aerogel can be tuned by selecting the concentration of the CNF suspension before freeze-drying. The hydrophobic light-weight aerogels are almost instantly filled with the oil phase when they selectively absorb oil from water, with a capacity to absorb up to 45 times their own weight. The oil can subsequently be drained from the aerogel and the aerogel can then be subjected to a second absorption cycle.The second part is about aerogels with different pore structures and manufactured with freeze-drying and supercritical carbon dioxide for the preparation of super slippery surfaces. Tunable super slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) were fabricated through fluorination of CNFsand subsequent infusion with perfluorinated liquid lubricants. CNF-based self-standing membranes repelled water and hexadecane with roll-off angles of only a few degrees. The lifetime of the slippery surface was controlled by the rate of evaporation of the lubricant, where the low roll-off angle could be regained with additional infusion. Moreover, adjusting the porosity of the membranes allowed the amount of infused lubricant to be tuned and thereby the lifetime. The CNF-based process permitted the expansion of the concept to coatings on glass, steel, paper and silicon. The lubricant-infused films and coatings are optically transparent and also feature self-cleaning and self-repairing abilities.The third part describes how porous structures from CNFs can be prepared in a new way by using a Pickering foam technique to create CNF-stabilized foams. This technique is promising for up-scaling to enable these porous nanostructured cellulose materials to be produced on a large scale. With this technique, a novel, lightweight and strong porous cellulose material has been prepared by drying aqueous foams stabilized with surface-modified CNFs. Confocal microscopy and high-speed video imaging show that the long-term stability of the wet foams can be attributed to the octylamine-coated, rod-shaped CNF nanoparticles residing at the air-liquid interface which prevent the air bubbles from collapsing or coalescing. Careful removal of the water yields a porous cellulose-based material with a porosity of 98 %, and measurements with an autoporosimeter (APVD) reveal that most pores have a radius in the range of 300 to 500 μm.In the fourth part, the aim was to clarify the mechanisms behind the stabilizing action of CNFs in wet-stable cellulose foams. Factors that have been investigated are the importance of the surface energy of the stabilizing CNF particles, their aspect ratio and charge density, and the concentration of CNF particles at the air-water interface. In order to investigate these parameters, the viscoelastic properties of the interface have been evaluated using the pendant drop method. The properties of the interface have also been compared by foam stability tests to clarify how the interface properties can be related to the foam stability over time. The most important results and conclusions are that CNFs can be used as stabilizing particles for aqueous foams already at a concentration as low as 5 g/L. The reasons for this are the high aspect ratio which is important for gel formation and the viscoelastic modulus of the air-water interface. Foams stabilized with CNFs are therefore much more stable than foams stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). The charge density of the CNFs affects the level of liberation of the CNFs within large CNF aggregates and hence the number of contact points at the interface, and also the gel formation and viscoelastic modulus. The charges also lead to a disjoining pressure related to the long-range repulsive electrostatic interaction between the stabilized bubbles, and this contributes to foam stability.In the fifth part, the aim was to develop the drying procedure in order to producea dry porous CNF material using the wet foam as a precursor and to evaluate the dry foam properties. The wet foam was dried in an oven while placed on a liquid-filled porous ceramic frit to preserve and enhance the porous structure in the dried material and prevent the formation of larger cavities and disruptions. The cell structure has been studied by SEM microscopy and APVD (automatic pore volume distribution). The mechanical properties have been studied by a tensile tester (Instron 5566) and the liquid absorption ability with the aid of the APVD-equipment. By changing the charge density of the CNFs it is possible to prepare dry foams with different densities and the lowest density was found to be 6 kg m-3with a porosity of 99.6 %. The Young ́s modulus in compression was 50 MPa and the energy absorption was 2340kJ m-3 for foams with a density of 200 kg m-3. The liquid absorption of the foam with a density of 13 kg m-3 is 34 times its own weight. By chemically cross-linking the foam,it wasalso possible to empty the liquid-filled foams by compression and then to reabsorb the liquid to the same degree with maintained foam integrity. This new processing method also shows great promise for preparing low-density cellulose foams continuously and could be very suitable for industrial up-scaling.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
| 11. |
- Wågberg, Lars, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
-
Pickering foams from cellulose nanofibrils
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 0065-7727. ; 249
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
|
|
