Preparation of carbodiimide-mediated octadecylamine modified carboxyethyl cellulose microfibrils and their reinforcement of poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate)

摘要

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is one of the most suitable aliphatic-aromatic co-polyesters to replace traditional plastics due to its excellent properties and biodegradability. However, the relatively low mechanical properties limit its large-scale application. Nanocellulose has been attempted to be chemically modified and used to enhance PBAT, but few significant results have been achieved. In this study, three octadecylamine-modified carboxyethyl cellulose microfibrils (OC-CMFs) with different degrees of substitution (DS) were successfully prepared and used to enhance PBAT. The microstructure, chemical structure, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability of the prepared OC-CMFs, as well as the mechanical properties, microstructure, and thermal properties of the OC-CMFs/PBAT composites were characterized. The results show that OC-CMFs have high hydrophobicity, with a water contact angle of up to 132.2(degrees), making them highly dispersed and compatible in the PBAT matrix. When 0.5 wt OC-CMF with a DS of 0.22 was added, the tensile strength of PBAT increased by 47.8, while the elongation at break significantly increased by 49.0. The significant improvement in the PBAT's mechanical properties will help expand its application range and further promote its substitution for non-biodegradable plastics.