PROCESSING OF NANOFIBRILLATED AND NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE NEAT FILMS

摘要

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC’s) and nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) are gaining interest as“green” nanoparticles used as reinforcement phases in lightweight, inexpensive, high-strengthcomposites materials. The high surface area and strong inter-particle hydrogen bonds in CNC’sand NFC allow the formation of high-strength network structures. Additionally, the smallparticle size combined with the smaller void sizes within the network structures allows foroptical transparency.Network-structured composites with CNC’s and/or NFC being the dominant phase (I.e. greaterthan 50 vol. %) have been fabricated. Shear-based methods to cast films produced alignment ofthe CNC’s and NFC. Solid, free-standing, transparent films of 100% CNC’s and NFC weremade using tape casting methods. Shear alignment of nanoparticles in these films was thencharacterized using polarized optical microscopy.