Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Films Fabricated from Cellulose Fibers and Imogolite Nanotubes

Owing to the increasing environmental awareness, nanocellulose/natural clay composites with improved mechanical performance have attracted growing interest due to their eco-friendly properties. In this study, hybrid films composed of cellulose fibers (CFs) and imogolite nanotubes (natural aluminosilicate nanotubes) were fabricated. We mainly studied the structure, density, and properties of the hybrid materials. Specifically, the hybrid materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), a rheological test, and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The mechanical properties of the hybrid materials were measured by a tensile test, which demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the hybrid films were considerably improved by the addition of imogolite up to 1 wt %; meanwhile, the thermal–mechanical properties of the hybrid film were also enhanced.