Conductive biomass-based composite wires with cross-linked anionic nanocellulose and cationic nanochitin as scaffolds

摘要

In this study, a series of conductive composite wires were successfully prepared by combining dispersions of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNFs) with different MWCNTs contents into a dispersion of partially deacetylated alpha-chitin nanofibers (alpha-DECHNs) followed with a drying process. The TOCNFs/MWCNTs/alpha-DECHNs composite wires were prepared by extruding the negatively charged TOCNFs/MWCNTs dispersion into the positively charged alpha-DECHNs dispersion. The contact of the positively charged alpha-DECHNs and the negatively charged TOCNFs/MWCNTs triggers the electrostatic interaction (heterocoagulation) resulting in wire-shaped conductive composites. The SEM analysis indicates this conductive composite material has a wire-like shape with a rough but tight surface. The properties of samples were characterized by a zeta potential analyzer (Zetasizer Nano), a four-probe, an electrochemical workstation, a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TG). Besides, the conductivity and the AC impedance of TOCNF5/MWCNTs/alpha-DECHNs composite wires with different MWCNTs contents were also analyzed. The conductivity of the composite wire increases from 9.98 x 10(-6) S.cm(-1) to 1.56 x 10(-3) S.cm(-1) as the MWCNTs content raises from 3.0 wt% to 14.0 wt%. When the MWCNTs content reaches 14.0 wt%, the prepared composite wire can light up LED at a voltage of 5 V, indicating the great potential of this biomass-based conductive composite in conductive material application. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.