Colloidal Ionic Assembly between Anionic Native Cellulose Nanofibrils and Cationic Block Copolymer Micelles into Biomimetic Nanocomposites

• We present a facile ionic assembly between fibrillar and spherical colloidal objects toward biomimetic nanocomposites with majority hard and minority soft domains based on anionic reinforcing native cellulose nanofibrils and cationic amphiphilic block copolymer micelles with rubbery core. The concept is based on ionic complexation of carboxymethylated nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC, or also denoted as microfibrillated cellulose, MFC) and micelles formed by aqueous self-assembly of quaternized poly(1,2-butadiene)-block-poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) with high fraction of the NFC reinforcement. The adsorption of block copolymer micelles onto nanocellulose is shown by quartz crystal microbalance measurements, atomic force microscopy imaging, and fluorescent optical microscopy. The physical properties are elucidated using electron microscopy, thermal analysis, and mechanical testing. The cationic part of the block copolymer serves as a binder to NFC, Whereas the hydrophobic rubbery micellar cores are designed to facilitate energy dissipation and nanoscale lubrication between the NFC domains under deformation. We show that the mechanical properties do not follow the rule of mixtures, and synergistic effects are observed with promoted work of fracture in one composition. As the concept allows wide possibilities for tuning, the work suggests pathways for nanocellulose-based biomimetic nanocomposites combining high toughness with stiffness and strength.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Nanoteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Nano-technology (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Kompositmaterial och -teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Composite Science and Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

QUARTZ-CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE

MICROFIBRILLATED CELLULOSE

MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES

BIOLOGICAL-MATERIALS

HIGH TOUGHNESS

STRENGTH

FILMS

POLYELECTROLYTES

COMPOSITES

ADSORPTION

Chemistry

Kemi

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)