Liquid crystalline phase behavior and fiber spinning of cellulose/ionic liquid/halloysite nanotubes dispersions

Abstract

Highly ordered, homogeneous and enhanced microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) composite fibers have been successfully prepared from MCC/1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AMIMCl)/HNTs dispersions with liquid crystal (LC) phases by a wet-spinning method, and their structures, morphology, mechanical, thermal and water barrier properties were investigated. The results revealed that the dispersions displayed stronger birefringence with increasing HNTs content, and became intensely birefringent when sheared; the birefringence also persisted for minutes after shearing was stopped. Rheological measurements showed that the dispersions had stronger shear thinning behavior. The thermal stability and tensile strength of the cellulose nanocomposite fibers were significantly improved compared with those of the pure MCC fiber. A more significant result is that the addition of HNTs significantly improved the moisture barrier properties of the regenerated MCC fibers.The above findings shed light on the liquid crystal phase behavior of HNTs dispersions and lay the foundation for fabrication of high performance fibers by liquid crystalline spinning.

Halloysite Clay Nanotubes for Loading and Sustained Release of Functional Compounds

“…Even pristine halloysite nanotubes possessing a relatively low ξ ‐potential of –30 mV demonstrate features of nematic liquid‐crystalline ordering in mixtures with water. Orientation domains with a size of a few hundred micrometers may be visualized by polarized light microscopy . At higher concentrations, when the water volume per one halloysite tube becomes close to 1 μm 3 , these tubes have a tendency to align.…”

Multiwall-carbon-nanotube/cellulose composite fibers with enhanced mechanical and electrical properties by cellulose grafting

“…9 Very recently, many polymers have been applied in the preparation of hetero-structural composites in ionic liquid systems, such as lms, bers, and foams. 10,11 Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been paid considerable attention because of their exceptional mechanical, electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. [12][13][14][15] These properties make CNTs excellent candidates to act as reinforcing agents in polymer composites.…”

Halloysite ‐Based Bionanocomposites

“…Oppositely, microcrystalline cellulose-based fibers showed an increase in the stress at the breaking point due to the uniform orientation of the well-dispersed HNTs (Luo et al, 2014). The presence of HNTs causes a slight deterioration in the mechanical performance of pectins (Cavallaro et al, 2011b).…”