scholarly journals Surface Alkylation of Cellulose Nanocrystals to Enhance Their Compatibility with Polylactide

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joo Hyung Lee ◽  
Sang Ho Park ◽  
Seong Hun Kim

Effective surface alkylation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was developed using a nucleophilic substitution reaction with an alkyl bromide to convert hydrophilic groups on the CNCs into alkyl groups and the degree of substitution was quantitatively determined. The resultant alkylated CNCs exhibited improved dispersion in a nonpolar environment and increased hydrophobicity, compared with unmodified and acetylated CNCs. Polylactide (PLA) nanocomposites reinforced with unmodified and modified CNCs were prepared by a solution casting method and the effects of reinforcement on the thermal stability, mechanical properties, morphology, and barrier properties were investigated. In addition, modeling of the mechanical properties was evaluated to simulate the modulus of the PLA nanocomposites and results were compared with the experimental values. PLA nanocomposites reinforced with alkylated CNCs exhibited superior properties in terms of thermal stability, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and barrier properties because of the uniform dispersion and strong interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix. This high performance and fully return-to-nature nanocomposite is expected to expand the utilization of CNCs from sustainable bioresources and the practical application of biodegradable plastics.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajun Chen ◽  
Jingxiu He ◽  
Zhe Sun ◽  
Bo Xu ◽  
Juan Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been used as bio-based carbon source in intumescent system. However, CNCs have the disadvantages of low onset decomposition temperature and decompose and carbonize during processing. We, herein, demonstrated the design of phosphazene-containing CNCs (P/N-CNCs) with great thermal stability and outstanding charring ability. The TGA results showed that the initial decomposition temperature of P/N-CNCs was increased from 202.4 ℃ to 272.2 ℃ (increased by 34.5%), and the residual char at 700 ℃ was increased from 24.9 wt% to 55.8 wt% compared with CNCs. Then, flame retardant PLA composites were prepared by blending PLA, P/N-CNCs with ammonium polyphosphate (APP), melamine (MPP), aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) and piperazine pyrophosphate (PPAP), respectively. The thermal stability, flame retardant properties and mechanical properties of PLA composites were investigated. The results showed that the flame retardant system constructed by 7 wt% APP and 3 wt% P/N-CNCs had the best effect in PLA. PLA/7APP/3P/N-CNCs had the highest limit oxygen index value (28.1%), the lowest peak heat release rate (266 kW/m2) and reached UL 94 V-0 rating. Moreover, the tensile strength, impact strength and elongation at break of PLA/7APP/3P/N-CNCs were increased by 7.3%, 18.6% and 29.4%, respectively, compared with these properties of PLA/7APP/ 3CNCs. This work provides a new idea for the design of CNCs with great thermal stability and outstanding charring ability, and offers a new method for the preparation of high-performance flame-retardant PLA composites.


e-Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 038-046
Author(s):  
Xu Yan ◽  
Wanru Zhou ◽  
Xiaojun Ma ◽  
Binqing Sun

Abstract In this study, a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) modified with nano-montmorillonite biocomposite (MMT/PHBH) was fabricated by solution-casting method. The results showed that the addition of MMT increased the crystallinity and the number of spherulites, which indicated that MMT was an effective nucleating agent for PHBH. The maximum decomposition peak of the biocomposites moved to a high temperature and residue presented an increasing trend. The biocomposites showed the best thermal stability at 1 wt% MMT. Compared with PHBH, 182.5% and 111.2% improvement in elastic modulus and tensile strength were obtained, respectively. Moreover, the oxygen permeability coefficient and the water vapor permeability of MMT/PHBH biocomposites decreased by 43.9% and 6.9%, respectively. It was also found that the simultaneous enhancements on the crystallizing, thermal stability, mechanical, and barrier properties of biocomposites were mainly caused by the formation of intercalated structure between PHBH and MMT.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2455
Author(s):  
Jiayuan He ◽  
Weizhen Chen ◽  
Boshan Zhang ◽  
Jiangjiang Yu ◽  
Hang Liu

Due to the sharp and corrosion-prone features of steel fibers, there is a demand for ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) reinforced with nonmetallic fibers. In this paper, glass fiber (GF) and the high-performance polypropylene (HPP) fiber were selected to prepare UHPC, and the effects of different fibers on the compressive, tensile and bending properties of UHPC were investigated, experimentally and numerically. Then, the damage evolution of UHPC was further studied numerically, adopting the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model. The difference between the simulation values and experimental values was within 5.0%, verifying the reliability of the numerical model. The results indicate that 2.0% fiber content in UHPC provides better mechanical properties. In addition, the glass fiber was more significant in strengthening the effect. Compared with HPP-UHPC, the compressive, tensile and flexural strength of GF-UHPC increased by about 20%, 30% and 40%, respectively. However, the flexural toughness indexes I5, I10 and I20 of HPP-UHPC were about 1.2, 2.0 and 3.8 times those of GF-UHPC, respectively, showing that the toughening effect of the HPP fiber is better.


RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (90) ◽  
pp. 87013-87020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaiju Luo ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Junrong Yu ◽  
Jing Zhu ◽  
Zuming Hu

Aromatic furanic polyamides with relatively high molecular weight were synthesized, and good thermal stability and mechanical properties were demonstrated.


Author(s):  
Walid Mohamed ◽  
Hakan Ozaltun ◽  
Hee Seok Roh

Abstract The most recent design of U-Mo monolithic fuel as adopted by the U.S. for the conversion of its High Performance Research Reactors (USHPRR) from high enrichment uranium (HEU) to low enrichment uranium fuel (LEU, < 20% U235) consists of a high density (LEU) U-10Mo fuel sandwiched between Zirconium (Zr) diffusion barriers and encapsulated in aluminum (AA6061) cladding. In this work, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate effect of Zr diffusion barrier properties on the thermal and mechanical performance of a U-10Mo monolithic fuel plate by considering possible variation in thermal and mechanical properties of the Zr diffusion barrier. Possible variation in thermo-mechanical properties of the Zr diffusion barrier were determined and a simulation matrix was designed accordingly. Analyses of simulation results included determination of global peak stresses in the fuel, Zr diffusion barrier, and cladding sections as well as the plate thickness profile at a transverse section toward the top side of the plate. Results showed that variation in yield stress, elastic modulus and thermal conductivity of the Zr diffusion barrier has negligible effect on the thermal and mechanical performance of the monolithic fuel plate. The effect of variation in these properties was found to be limited to the barrier section itself, which may be attributed to the relatively smaller thickness of that section compared to the fuel and cladding sections of the fuel plate.


Author(s):  
Jamileh Shojaeiarani ◽  
Dilpreet Bajwa

Biopolymers are emerging materials with numerous capabilities of minimizing the environmental hazards caused by synthetic materials. The competitive mechanical properties of bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have attracted a huge interest in improving the mechanical properties of the corresponding nanocomposites. To obtain optimal properties of PLA-CNC nanocomposites, the compatibility between PLA and CNCs needs to be improved through uniform dispersion of CNCs into PLA. The application of chemical surface functionalization technique is an essential step to improve the interaction between hydrophobic PLA and hydrophilic CNCs. In this study, a combination of a time-efficient esterification technique and masterbatch approach was used to improve the CNCs dispersibility in PLA. Nanocomposites reinforced by 1, 3, and 5 wt% functionalized CNCs were prepared using twin screw extrusion followed by injection molding process. The mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of pure PLA and nanocomposites were studied through tensile, impact and dynamic mechanical analysis. The impact fractured surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical test results exhibited that tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of nanocomposites improved by 70% and 11% upon addition of functionalized CNCs into pure PLA. The elongation at break and impact strength of nanocomposites exhibited 43% and 35% increase as compared to pure PLA. The rough and irregular fracture surface in nanocomposites confirmed the higher ductility in PLA nanocomposites as compared to pure PLA. The incorporation of functionalized CNCs into PLA resulted in an increase in storage modulus and a decrease in tan δ intensity which was more profound in nanocomposites reinforced with 3 wt% functionalized CNCs.


KIMIKA ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-56
Author(s):  
David, Jr. P. Peñaloza

Clay-based polymer nanocomposites have attracted considerable interest in recent years because of the intermarriage between organic and clay components at nanoscale measurement offers prospect of new and enhanced properties. Resulting nanomaterials are of practical importance in applications that require exceptional mechanical properties, remarkable thermal stability, and good barrier properties. This review paper highlights the benefits we can derive from the preparation of these nanomaterials.


Author(s):  
Manon Le Gars ◽  
Loreleï Douard ◽  
Naceur Belgacem ◽  
Julien Bras

During the last two decades, interest in cellulosic nanomaterials has greatly increased. Among these nanocelluloses, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) exhibit outstanding properties. Indeed, besides their high crystallinity, cellulose nanocrystals are interesting in terms of morphology with high aspect ratio (length 100–1000 nm, width 2–15 nm), high specific area, and high mechanical properties. Moreover, they can be used as rheological modifier, emulsifier, or for barrier properties, and their surface chemistry opens the door to numerous feasible chemical modifications, leading to a large panel of applications in medical, electronic, composites, or packaging, for example. Traditionally, their extraction is performed via monitored sulfuric acid hydrolysis, leading to well-dispersed aqueous CNC suspensions; these last bearing negative charges (half-sulfate ester groups) at their surface. More recently, natural chemicals called deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been used for the production of CNC in a way of green chemistry, and characterization of recovered CNC is encouraging.


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