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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #380195
Research Project: Enhancing the Profitability and Sustainability of Upland Cotton, Cottonseed, and Agricultural Byproducts through Improvements in Pre-Ginning, Ginning, and Post-Ginning Processes

Location: Cotton Production and Processing Research

Title: Improvements in dispersion, thermal and mechanical properties of polymer composites using silane functionalized cellulose nanocrystals

Author
item CHANDA, SAPTAPARNI - Montana State University
item BAJWA, DILPREET - Montana State University
item STARK, NICOLE - Forest Products Laboratory
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: Forest Products Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/23/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cellulose nanocrystal reinforced polymeric nanocomposites can be used as potential substitute for the petroleum-based nanocomposites because of their inherent biodegradability, universal accessibility and superior mechanical properties. The most crucial challenge faced in nanocomposite production is effective dispersion of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix, so the exceptional mechanical properties of the nanoparticles can be transferred to the macroscale properties of the bulk nanocomposites. In this research, a safe, effective and ecofriendly modification was used to functionalize the surface hydroxyl groups of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) via silane treatment; these modified CNCs were used as reinforcements to prepare poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO)/CNC nanocomposites. The composites were prepared via solvent casting method. The composite properties were evaluated using FT-IR, SEM, TGA, DSC and DMA. The SEM micrographs demonstrated that the composites incorporated with silane treated CNCs showed improvement in the dispersion behavior of the nanoparticles in the matrix. Oxidative combustion of the composites containing silane treated CNCs promoted char formation and enhanced thermal stability. The composites containing (1:1) silane treated CNCs exhibited the best crystallization ability, highest storage modulus and lowest tan d value compared to the other silane containing systems. However, with the increase in concentration of silane in the system, the mechanical properties also started degrading. This is possibly due to the increased self-condensation reaction of the silane linkages onto the CNC surface, which in turn adversely affected the mechanical and physical properties of the resultant composites.