Nanocomposite materials from latex and cellulose whiskers

Abstract

Composite materials were processed by casting a mixture of aqueous suspensions of latex and microfibrils. These microfibrils, or whiskers, are extracted from a sea animal and are monocrystals of cellulose, with an aspect ratio around 100 and an average diameter of 20 nm. It has been found that the mechanical properties (shear modulus) are increased by more than two orders of magnitude in the rubbery state of the polymeric matrix, when the whisker content was 6% (w/w). This very large effect is discussed on the basis of different types of mechanical models and it is concluded that these whiskers form a rigid network, probably linked by hydrogen bonds. The formation of this network is assumed to be governed by a percolation mechanism.

Nanocellulosic fillers for waterborne wood coatings: reinforcement effect on free-standing coating films

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An overview on properties and applications of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)–PBAT based composites

“…The materials prepared by solvent casting show optimized properties, since the long reaction time provides the particles enough time to interact and self-organize [70]. This self-organization generates a percolating network (a rigid 3D network), which will probably not form when using melt mixing process [71,72]. However, for economic and environmental reasons, the solvent casting method is a less efficient way to prepare composites when compared to other solvent-free processing techniques, such as hot processing.…”

Cellulose Nanopaper Structures of High Toughness

“…Favier et al demonstrated that the addition of as little as 6% tunicate whiskers is sufficient to form a network that will strongly increase the storage modulus above the glass transition temperature. 4,5 Tunicate whiskers have high modulus and form strong interfibrillar bonds between ordered cellulose surfaces so that the network provides substantial stiffening to the rubbery matrix. Several reviews have been published on the subject of cellulose nanocomposites.…”