posted on 2018-10-09, 00:00authored byUlrica Edlund, Tove Lagerberg, Eva Ålander
A water-based one-pot
synthesis strategy for converting cellulose
nanofibrils (CNF) into a hydrophobic and processable biopolymer grade
is devised. CNF was chemically modified through admicellar polymerization,
producing fibrils coated with fatty acrylate polymers. The proposed
modification targets a change in the interfibrillar interactions and
improved CNF compatibility with a degradable plastic composite matrix,
poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), PBAT in
composites prepared by melt extrusion. CNF had a clear reinforcing
effect on PBAT, increasing Young’s modulus by at least 35%
and 169% at 5 and 20% (w/w) CNF content, respectively. However, unmodified
CNF showed aggregation, poor adhesion in the matrix, and severely
impaired the ductility of PBAT. CNF modified by admicellar polymerization
was homogeneously dispersed in the PBT matrix and showed significantly
better preservation of the elongation properties compared to unmodified
CNF, especially at 5% (w/w) addition level.