Cooperative effects of cellulose nanocrystals and sepiolite when combined on ionic liquid plasticised chitosan materials

Pei Chen; Fengwei Xie; Fengzai Tang; Tony McNally

doi:10.3390/polym13040571

Cooperative effects of cellulose nanocrystals and sepiolite when combined on ionic liquid plasticised chitosan materials

Pei Chen, Fengwei Xie, Fengzai Tang, Tony McNally

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6 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and/or sepiolite (SPT) were thermomechanically mixed with un-plasticised chitosan and chitosan/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends plasticised with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C₂mim][OAc]). Examination of the morphology of these materials indicates that SPT aggregates were reduced when CNCs or [C₂mim][OAc] were present. Inclusion of CNCs and/or SPT had a greater effect on material properties when the matrices were unplasticised. Addition of SPT or CNCs altered the crystalline structure of the un-plasticised chitosan matrix. Moreover, a combination of SPT and CNCs was more effective at suppressing re-crystallisation. Nonetheless, the mechanical properties and surface hydrophobicity were more related to CNC/SPT-biopolymer interactions. The un-plasticised bionanocomposites generally showed increased relaxation temperatures, enhanced tensile strength, and reduced surface wettability. For the [C₂mim][OAc] plasticised matrices, the ionic liquid (IL) dominates the interactions with the biopolymers such that the effect of the nanofillers is diminished. However, for the [C₂mim][OAc] plasticised chitosan/CMC matrix, CNCs and SPT acted synergistically suppressing re-crystallisation but resulting in increased tensile strength.

Original language	English
Article number	571
Number of pages	15
Journal	Polymers
Volume	13
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13040571
Publication status	Published - 14 Feb 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors.

Funding

Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 798225. Acknowledgments: P. Chen acknowledges the financial support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for her visiting position and thanks IINM, WMG, University of Warwick, UK for hosting her research visit.

Funders	Funder number
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme	798225
China Scholarship Council

Keywords

Biopolymer nanocomposites
Biopolymer thermomechanical processing
Cellulose nanocrystals
Ionic liquid
Nanoclay
Polysaccharide plasticisation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
Polymers and Plastics

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10.3390/polym13040571Licence: CC BY

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abstract = "Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and/or sepiolite (SPT) were thermomechanically mixed with un-plasticised chitosan and chitosan/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends plasticised with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]). Examination of the morphology of these materials indicates that SPT aggregates were reduced when CNCs or [C2mim][OAc] were present. Inclusion of CNCs and/or SPT had a greater effect on material properties when the matrices were unplasticised. Addition of SPT or CNCs altered the crystalline structure of the un-plasticised chitosan matrix. Moreover, a combination of SPT and CNCs was more effective at suppressing re-crystallisation. Nonetheless, the mechanical properties and surface hydrophobicity were more related to CNC/SPT-biopolymer interactions. The un-plasticised bionanocomposites generally showed increased relaxation temperatures, enhanced tensile strength, and reduced surface wettability. For the [C2mim][OAc] plasticised matrices, the ionic liquid (IL) dominates the interactions with the biopolymers such that the effect of the nanofillers is diminished. However, for the [C2mim][OAc] plasticised chitosan/CMC matrix, CNCs and SPT acted synergistically suppressing re-crystallisation but resulting in increased tensile strength.",

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author = "Pei Chen and Fengwei Xie and Fengzai Tang and Tony McNally",

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AU - Chen, Pei

AU - Xie, Fengwei

AU - Tang, Fengzai

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AB - Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and/or sepiolite (SPT) were thermomechanically mixed with un-plasticised chitosan and chitosan/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends plasticised with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]). Examination of the morphology of these materials indicates that SPT aggregates were reduced when CNCs or [C2mim][OAc] were present. Inclusion of CNCs and/or SPT had a greater effect on material properties when the matrices were unplasticised. Addition of SPT or CNCs altered the crystalline structure of the un-plasticised chitosan matrix. Moreover, a combination of SPT and CNCs was more effective at suppressing re-crystallisation. Nonetheless, the mechanical properties and surface hydrophobicity were more related to CNC/SPT-biopolymer interactions. The un-plasticised bionanocomposites generally showed increased relaxation temperatures, enhanced tensile strength, and reduced surface wettability. For the [C2mim][OAc] plasticised matrices, the ionic liquid (IL) dominates the interactions with the biopolymers such that the effect of the nanofillers is diminished. However, for the [C2mim][OAc] plasticised chitosan/CMC matrix, CNCs and SPT acted synergistically suppressing re-crystallisation but resulting in increased tensile strength.

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Cooperative effects of cellulose nanocrystals and sepiolite when combined on ionic liquid plasticised chitosan materials

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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