Open Access
ARTICLE
A New Method for Developing Industrially Viable Nanocrystalline Cellulose-based Nanocomposites via Melt Compounding
Marta Martínez-Sanz, Amparo López-Rubio, Maria José Fabra, José M. Lagaron*
Novel Materials and Nanotechnology Group, IATA, CSIC, Avda. Agustín Escardino, 7, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain
* Corresponding Author:
Journal of Renewable Materials 2014, 2(2), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634106
Received 13 February 2014; Accepted 29 March 2014;
Abstract
Due to their high crystallinity and aspect ratio, bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers (BCNW) represent an appealing
choice for the development of fully biobased nanocomposite materials with high barrier performance. However, their
strong tendency to self-associate, together with their highly hydrophilic character, has restricted the production of
nanocomposites containing cellulose nanowhiskers by industrial processing techniques such as melt compounding.
Th is article presents an overview of the latest published results carried out within our group and also in other
relevant literature, which have led to the development of an effi cient strategy for the incorporation of highly dispersed
BCNW by melt compounding through the use of electrohydrodynamic processing as a vehicle for the pre-incorporation
of relatively high loadings of BCNW. First, a method for the production of highly crystalline and thermally stable BCNW
was developed. Th ese BCNW were incorporated into electrospun fi bers, optimizing the process in terms of nanofi ller
dispersion and degree of incorporation. Finally, these hybrid fi bers were used as masterbatches for the production of melt
compounded nanocomposites, comparing their morphology and barrier properties with the conventional method of
adding freeze-dried nanowhiskers. Th is method was proven to be eff ective for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic matrices
and, thus, it provides a feasible route for the development of high barrier biobased materials.
Keywords
Cite This Article
APA Style
Martínez-Sanz, M., López-Rubio, A., Fabra, M.J., Lagaron, J.M. (2014). A new method for developing industrially viable nanocrystalline cellulose-based nanocomposites via melt compounding. Journal of Renewable Materials, 2(2), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634106
Vancouver Style
Martínez-Sanz M, López-Rubio A, Fabra MJ, Lagaron JM. A new method for developing industrially viable nanocrystalline cellulose-based nanocomposites via melt compounding. J Renew Mater. 2014;2(2):107-117 https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634106
IEEE Style
M. Martínez-Sanz, A. López-Rubio, M.J. Fabra, and J.M. Lagaron "A New Method for Developing Industrially Viable Nanocrystalline Cellulose-based Nanocomposites via Melt Compounding," J. Renew. Mater., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 107-117. 2014. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634106