| 1. |
- Adu, Cynthia, et al.
(författare)
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Properties of cellulose nanofibre networks prepared from never-dried and dried paper mill sludge
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 197:1, s. 765-771
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Paper mills yield large volumes of sludge materials which pose an environmental and economic challenge for disposal, despite the fact that they could be a valuable source for cellulose nanofibres (CNF) production. The aim of the study was to evaluate the production process and properties of CNF prepared by mechanical fibrillation of never-dried and dried paper mill sludge (PMS). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that average diameters for both never-dried and dried paper sludge nanofibres (PSNF) were less than 50 nm. The never-dried and dried sludge nanofibres showed no statistical significant difference (p > 0.05) in strength 92 MPa, and 85 MPa and modulus 11 GPa and 10 GPa. The study concludes that paper mill sludge can be used in a dried state for CNF production to reduce transportation and storage challenges posed on industrial scale.
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| 2. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Cellulose nanofibril nanocomposites processing
- 2013
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Ingår i: Production and Applications of Cellulose Nanomaterials. - Peachtree Corners, GA : TAPPI Press. - 9781595102249 ; , s. 271-274
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Impregnation of a preformed network of nanofibrils leads to high fibre volume fraction nanocomposites and with this good mechanical properties have been achieved. However, comparing nanofibrils composite made with different volume fractions and different matrices is difficult. In order to do this, and in doing so gain insight into the most promising approaches, methods of measuring reinforcing efficiencies are being developed. The results show that for matrices with low stiffness the stiffness reinforcing efficiency is high. However with high fibre volume fraction and high stiffness, this network effect may lead to a lack of exploitation of the properties of the nanofibrils. Alignment of the nanofibrils is also a key in effective reinforcement. In addition, upscaling of the impregnation process requires a good understanding of permeability and adaptation of existing permeability models for cellulose nanofibrils networks as well as experiments on their permeability are ongoing.
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| 3. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Hydrogel state impregnation of cellulose fibre-phenol composites: Effects of fibre size distribution
- 2016
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Ingår i: ECCM 2016. - : European Conference on Composite Materials. - 9783000533877
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whilst it has been well established that cellulose nanofibres (CNF) networks produce films that have high stiffness and strength, they are difficult to impregnate. Investigated in this study is whether by controlling the degree of nanofibrillation of cellulose, composites based on micro- and nano-size cellulose fibres can be made that are more easily manufactured and have better impregnation than solely cellulose nano-fibre based composites. To evaluate this, cellulose at different stages of ultrafine grinding, extracted at time intervals of 30, 60 and 290 mins, were used to make composites. To achieve good impregnation a novel strategy was used based on impregnation with phenol resin whilst the fibrillated cellulose is in a hydrogel state. The composites were subsequently dried and consolidated by hot press. The current results show that this method of impregnation is successful and the phenol matrix greatly improves the properties of the cellulose with a low degree of fibrillation. In general, as the degree of fibrillation and the proportion of nanofibres increases, the mechanical properties of the networks and their composites increase. The addition of the matrix appears to restrict the deformation of CNF network, increasing the modulus and yield strength but decreasing the ultimate strength. The method also appears to restrict the consolidation and voids remain in the composite, which reduces the modulus when compared to theoretical maximum values for this material. More work on the consolidation process is necessary to achieve the full potential of these composites.
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| 4. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Impregnation of cellulose nanofibre networks with a thermoplastic polymer
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The emphasis of this study have been to study if impregnation of cellulose nanofibre networks can be made using a thermoplastic polymer as a matrix and to estimate the reinforcing efficiency of the cellulose nanofibres in this composite. A nanofibre network with higher porosity that water-dried nanofibre network was prepared from a cellulose waste byproduct (sludge). This was impregnated using a diluted solution of cellulose acetate butyrate polymer to produce a 60 wt. % CNF/CAB composite. This composite was characterized using microscopy and mechanical testing. High porosity is seen in the SEM images of the acetone-dried fibre network and SEM and film transparency was used to qualitatively assess the impregnation of the network. A significant improvement in the visible light transmittance was observed for the nanocomposite film compared to the nanofibre network as a result of the impregnation. The reinforcing efficiency was calculated based on a model of the nanocomposite and compared to other nanocomposites in the literature. The efficiency factor takes into account the volume fraction and the stiffness of the matrix. This showed that this CNF/CAB combination is similar in efficiency to CNF/PLA nanocomposites and more efficient that nanocomposites using when using stiffer matrices. It was also more efficient CNF nanocomposites based on Chitosan, which has the same stiffness. It is still however not as efficient as traditional glass polymer composites due to the random orientation of the fibres nor nanocomposites with very soft matrices due to the dominating network effect of the CNF in such composites. In conclusion, CAB impregnated cellulose nanofibre networks are promising biocomposite materials that could be used in applications where transparency and good mechanical properties are of interest. The key elements in the impregnation process of the nanocomposites were the use of a porous networks and a low viscosity thermoplastic resin solution.
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| 5. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Light scattering in cellulose nanofibre suspensions : Model and experiments
- 2016
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Ingår i: Computers in Chemistry Proceeding from ACS National Meeting San Diego. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). ; , s. 122-
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Here light scattering theory is used to assess the size distribution in a suspension of cellulose as it is fibrillated from micro-scaled to nano-scaled fibres. A model based on Monte carlo simulations of the scattering of photons by different sizes of cellulose fibres was used to predict the UV-IF spectrum of the suspensions. Bleached cellulose hardwood pulp was tested and compared to the visually transparent tempo-oxidised hardwood cellulose nanofibres (CNF) suspension. The theoretical results show that different diameter size classes exhibit very different scattering patterns. These classes could be identified in the experimental results and used to establish the size class dominating the suspension. A comparison to AFM/microscope size distribution was made and the results indicated that using the UV-IF light scattering spectrum maybe more reliable that size distribution measurement using AFM and microscopy on dried CNF samples. The UV-IF spectrum measurement combined with the theoretical prediction can be used even at this initial stage of development of this model to assess the degree of fibrillation when processing CNF.
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| 6. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Nanofibre distribution in composites manufactured with epoxy reinforced with nanofibrillated cellulose : model prediction and verification
- 2016
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Ingår i: IOP Conference Series. - 1757-8981 .- 1757-899X. ; 139
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study a model based on simple scattering is developed and used to predict the distribution of nanofibrillated cellulose in composites manufactured by resin transfer moulding (RTM) where the resin contains nanofibres. The model is a Monte Carlo based simulation where nanofibres are randomly chosen from probability density functions for length, diameter and orientation. Their movements are then tracked as they advance through a random arrangement of fibres in defined fibre bundles. The results of the model show that the fabric filters the nanofibres within the first 20 µm unless clear inter-bundle channels are available. The volume fraction of the fabric fibres, flow velocity and size of nanofibre influence this to some extent. To verify the model, an epoxy with 0.5 wt.% Kraft Birch nanofibres was made through a solvent exchange route and stained with a colouring agent. This was infused into a glass fibre fabric using an RTM process. The experimental results confirmed the filtering of the nanofibres by the fibre bundles and their penetration in the fabric via the inter-bundle channels. Hence, the model is a useful tool for visualising the distribution of the nanofibres in composites in this manufacturing process.
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| 7. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Quantifying reinforcing efficiency of nanocellulose fibres
- 2013
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Ingår i: Processing of fibre composites-challenges for maximum materials performance. - Risö : Dept. of Wind Energy, Technical University of Denmark. - 9788792896513 ; , s. 149-160
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cellulose nanofibres are found in all plants and have the potential to provide a sustainable biobased material source. These nanofibres can be used for reinforcing polymers and thus as structural materials. Very promising results have been reported for different nanocomposites but to compete with existing materials, it is important to understand what progress has been made towards structural materials using nanocellulose. To do this the reinforcing efficiency of the stiffness and strength of nanocellulose in different nanocomposites has been calculated for a number of reported nanocellulose fibre based composites. For the stiffness this is done by back-calculating a reinforcing efficiency factor from a Halpin-Tsai model and laminate theory. For the strength efficiency, two models are used: a classic short fibre composite model and a network model. The results show that orientation is key to the stiffness efficiency, as shown by the high efficiency of aligned natural fibres. The stiffness efficiency is, as expected, high in soft matrices but in stiff matrices, the network effect of the nanofibres is possibility limiting their reinforcing potential. The strength efficiency results show that in all the nanocomposites evaluated the network model is closer to predicting strength than the short fibre composite model. The correlation between the network strength and the composite strength suggest that much of the stress transfer is from fibre to fibre and strong nanocomposites depend heavily on having a strong network. Also noted is that in composite processing a good impregnation of the nanofibers is also seen as an important factor in the efficiency of both strength and stiffness.
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| 8. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Reinforcing efficiency and the manufacture nanocellulose fibre based composites by vacuum infusion
- 2015
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Nanocomposites based on cellulose have received a rapidly rising attention over the last 10 years however the method of manufacturing these composites on a scale larger than that in the lab remains challenging. Another challenge is that low fraction nanocomposites, whilst they can show excellent improvement in polymer properties, have difficultly to compete with traditional fibre reinforced composites [1,2]. A commonly used liquid composite moulding method for producing composites is vacuum infusion and the possibility of trading glass fibre for nanocellulose networks sheets in this type of manufacturing could results in a upscale method for producing high volume fraction cellulose nanocomposites. CNF networks are stiff and strong but have high fibre packing and thus difficult to impregnate. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of increasing the porosity to improve their processability by VI.
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| 9. |
- Aitomäki, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Reinforcing efficiency of nanocellulose in polymers
- 2014
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Ingår i: Reactive & functional polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 1381-5148 .- 1873-166X. ; 85, s. 151-156
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanocellulose extracted from renewable sources, is a promising reinforcement for many polymers and is a material where strong interfibre hydrogen bonds add effects not seen in microfiber composites. Presented is a tool for comparing different nanocellulose composites based on estimating the efficiency of nanocellulose reinforcement. A reinforcing efficiency factor is calculated from reported values of elastic modulus and strength from various nanocellulose composites using established micromechanical models. In addition, for the strength, a network model is derived based on fibre-fibre bond strength within nanocellulose networks. The strength results highlight the importance of the plastic deformation in the nanocellulose composites. Both modulus and strength efficiency show that the network strength and modulus has a greater effect than that of the individual constituents. In the best cases, nanocellulose reinforcement exceeds all model predictions.
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| 10. |
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