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- Boujemaoui, Assya, 1983-, et al.
(author)
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Nanostructural Effects in High Cellulose Content Thermoplastic Nanocomposites with a Covalently Grafted Cellulose-Poly(methyl methacrylate) Interface
- 2019
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In: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 20:2, s. 598-607
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A critical aspect in materials design of polymer nanocomposites is the nature of the nanoparticle/polymer interface. The present study investigates the effect of manipulation of the interface between cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) on the optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the corresponding nanocomposites. The CNF/PMMA interface is altered with a minimum of changes in material composition so that interface effects can be analyzed. The hydroxyl-rich surface of CNF fibrils is exploited to modify the CNF surface via an epoxide-hydroxyl reaction. CNF/PMMA nanocomposites are then prepared with high CNF content (similar to 38 wt %) using an approach where a porous CNF mat is impregnated with monomer or polymer. The nanocomposite interface is controlled by either providing PMMA grafts from the modified CNF surface or by solvent-assisted diffusion of PMMA into a CNF network (native and modified). The high content of CNF fibrils of similar to 6 nm diameter leads to a strong interface and polymer matrix distribution effects. Moisture uptake and mechanical properties are measured at different relative humidity conditions. The nanocomposites with PMMA molecules grafted to cellulose exhibited much higher optical transparency, thermal stability, and hygro-mechanical properties than the control samples. The present modification and preparation strategies are versatile and may be used for cellulose nanocomposites of other compositions, architectures, properties, and functionalities.
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- Kassab, Zineb, et al.
(author)
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Production of cellulose nanofibrils from alfa fibers and its nanoreinforcement potential in polymer nanocomposites
- 2019
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In: Cellulose. - : SPRINGER. - 0969-0239 .- 1572-882X. ; 26:18, s. 9567-9581
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Alfa fibers (Stipa Tenacissima) were effectively utilized in this study as a promising cellulose source for isolation of carboxy-functionalized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) using multiple treatments. Pure cellulose microfibers (CMFs) were firstly extracted by alkali and bleaching treatments. CNFs with an average nanofibrils diameter ranging from 1.4 to 4.6 nm and a crystallinity of 89% were isolated from CMFs by a combination of TEMPO-oxidation and mechanical disintegration processes. The morphology and physico-chemical properties of cellulosic materials were evaluated at different stages of treatments using several characterization techniques. Various CNF loadings (5-15 wt%) were incorporated into PVA polymer to evaluate the nanoreinforcement ability of CNFs and to produce CNF-filled PVA nanocomposite materials. The tensile and optical transmittance properties, as well as the morphological and thermal properties of the as-produced CNF-filled PVA nanocomposite films were investigated. It was found that the tensile modulus and strength of nanocomposites were gradually increased with increasing of CNF loadings, with a maximum increase of 90% and 74% was observed for a PVA nanocomposite containing 15 wt% CNFs, respectively. The optical transmittance was reduced from 91% (at 650 nm) for neat PVA polymer to 88%, 82% and 76% for PVA nanocomposites containing 5, 10 and 15 wt% CNFs, respectively. It was also found that the glass transition temperature was gradually increased from 76 degrees C for neat PVA to 89 degrees C for PVA nanocomposite containing 15 wt%. This study demonstrates the importance of Alfa fibers as annual renewable lignocellulosic material to produce CNFs with good morphology and excellent properties. These newly developed carboxy-functionalized CNFs could be considered as a potential nanofiller candidate for the preparation of nanocomposite materials of high transparency and good mechanical properties.Graphic abstract
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