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Cellulose nanofibril-reinforced biodegradable polymer composites obtained via a Pickering emulsion approach

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Abstract

Preparation of cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-reinforced, biodegradable polymer composites is challenging in that it’s hard to achieve good dispersion of the hydrophilic cellulose fibers in a hydrophobic polymer matrix. In this work, we developed a surfactant-free and efficient process to prepare CNF-reinforced poly (lactic acid) (PLA) composites from an aqueous dichloromethane Pickering emulsion self-emulsified by CNFs. CNF/PLA composites of homogeneous dispersion were obtained upon evaporation of CH2Cl2, filtration, drying and hot-pressing. Differential scanning calorimetry measurement revealed an enhanced crystallization capacity of the CNF/PLA composites. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated an increase of onset degradation temperature. The composites displayed an enhanced storage modulus compared with neat PLA throughout the testing temperature range, and especially in the high-temperature region (>70 °C). Enhancements of the flexural modulus and strength were also achieved.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51403035), Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (No. 105-07-005735) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 15D110510).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, People’s Republic of China

    Yunchong Zhang, Jun Wu, Bijia Wang, Xiaofeng Sui, Yi Zhong, Linping Zhang, Zhiping Mao & Hong Xu

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  1. Yunchong Zhang
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  2. Jun Wu
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  3. Bijia Wang
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  4. Xiaofeng Sui
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  5. Yi Zhong
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  6. Linping Zhang
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  7. Zhiping Mao
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  8. Hong Xu
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Correspondence to Xiaofeng Sui or Hong Xu.

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Zhang, Y., Wu, J., Wang, B. et al. Cellulose nanofibril-reinforced biodegradable polymer composites obtained via a Pickering emulsion approach. Cellulose 24, 3313–3322 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1324-8

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