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Estimation of aspect ratio of cellulose nanocrystals by viscosity measurement: influence of surface charge density and NaCl concentration

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Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with similar size and various surface charge densities were prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and NaOH desulfation. The influence of surface charge density and NaCl concentration on the intrinsic viscosity of CNC suspensions and predicted aspect ratio were investigated by Ubbelohde viscometer. With decreased CNC surface charge density, the intrinsic viscosity initially decreased due to the electric double layers on the CNC surface and subsequently increased due to CNC aggregation. To screen electroviscous effect, NaCl was added into CNC suspensions. With increased NaCl concentration, the intrinsic viscosity of CNC suspensions first decreased and then increased. The aspect ratios of CNCs predicted by Batchelor equation from the minimum intrinsic viscosity were consistent with that measured by transmission electron microscopy. Suspensions of CNCs with higher surface charge density needed less NaCl to obtain minimum intrinsic viscosity. The NaCl content that should be added to the suspension to predict the actual physical aspect ratio of CNC can be estimated by Debye–Hückel theory, assuming that the Debye length is equal to the CNC diameter.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the Special Fund for Forest Scientific Research in the Public Welfare (201504603), Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (21404092), Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. LQ14C160004), Program for key Science and Technology Team of Zhejiang Province (2013TD17), and Tennessee Experimental Station Project #TEN00422.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, China

    Qiang Wu, Xiuwen Li, Shenyuan Fu, Qian Li & Siqun Wang

  2. National Engineering and Technology Research Center of Wood-based Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Hangzhou, 311300, China

    Qiang Wu, Xiuwen Li, Shenyuan Fu, Qian Li & Siqun Wang

  3. Center for Renewable Carbon, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Siqun Wang

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  1. Qiang Wu
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  2. Xiuwen Li
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Correspondence to Qian Li or Siqun Wang.

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Wu, Q., Li, X., Fu, S. et al. Estimation of aspect ratio of cellulose nanocrystals by viscosity measurement: influence of surface charge density and NaCl concentration. Cellulose 24, 3255–3264 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1341-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1341-7

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