Academic literature on the topic 'Cellulose nanofibril (CNF)'

In this study, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were modified by catalyzed lactic acid esterification in an aqueous medium with SnCl2 as a catalyst. Films were made from unmodified and lactic acid-modified CNF without a polymer matrix to evaluate the effectiveness of the modification. Ungrafted and lactic acid-grafted CNF was also compounded with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to produce composites. Mechanical, water absorption, and barrier properties were evaluated for ungrafted CNF, lactic acid-grafted CNF films, and PLA/CNF composites to ascertain the effect of lactic acid modification on the properties of the films and nanocomposites. FTIR spectra of the modified CNF revealed the presence of carbonyl peaks at 1720 cm−1, suggesting that the esterification reaction was successful. Modification of CNF with LA improved the tensile modulus of the produced films but the tensile strength and elongation decreased. Additionally, films made from modified CNF had lower water absorption, as well as water vapor and oxygen permeability, relative to their counterparts with unmodified CNFs. The mechanical properties of PLA/CNF composites made from lactic acid-grafted CNFs did not significantly change with respect to the ungrafted CNF. However, the addition of lactic acid-grafted CNF to PLA improved the water vapor permeability relative to composites containing ungrafted CNF. Therefore, the esterification of CNFs in an aqueous medium may provide an environmentally benign way of modifying the surface chemistry of CNFs to improve the barrier properties of CNF films and PLA/CNF composites.

We aimed to improve the mechanical properties of alginate fibers by reinforcing with various cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Pure cellulose nanofibril (PCNF), lignocellulose nanofibril (LCNF) obtained via deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment, and TEMPO-oxidized lignocellulose nanofibril (TOLCNF) were employed. Sodium alginate (AL) was mixed with PCNF, LCNF, and TOLCNF with a CNF content of 5–30%. To fabricate microcomposite filaments, the suspensions were wet-spun in calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution through a microfluidic channel. Average diameters of the microcomposite filaments were in the range of 40.2–73.7 μm, which increased with increasing CNF content and spinning rate. The tensile strength and elastic modulus improved as the CNF content increased to 10%, but the addition of 30% CNF deteriorated the tensile properties. The tensile strength and elastic modulus were in the order of LCNF/AL > PCNF/AL > TOLCNF/AL > AL. An increase in the spinning rate improved the tensile properties.

In this study, cellulose acetate (CA)/cellulose nanofibril (CNF) film was prepared via solvent casting. CNF was used as reinforcement to increase tensile properties of CA film. CNF ratio was varied into 3, 5, and 10 phr (parts per hundred rubbers). Triacetin (TA) and triethyl citrate (TC) were used as two different eco-friendly plasticizers. Two different types of solvent, which are acetone and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), were also used. CA/CNF film was prepared by mixing CA and CNF in acetone or NMP with 10% concentration and stirred for 24 h. Then, the solution was cast in a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dish followed by solvent evaporation for 12 h at room temperature for acetone and 24 h at 80 °C in an oven dryer for NMP. The effect of solvent type, plasticizers type, and CNF amount on film properties was studied. Good dispersion in NMP was evident from the morphological study of fractured surface and visible light transmittance. The results showed that CNF has a better dispersion in NMP which leads to a significant increase in tensile strength and elastic modulus up to 38% and 65%, respectively, compared with those of neat CA. CNF addition up to 5 phr loading increased the mechanical properties of the film composites.

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) is the fundamental unit of almost all types of natural fibers and is regarded as one of the main factors that influence their mechanical properties. Besides, owing to having a high aspect ratio, it is increasingly being used in the research of nanocomposite as a reinforcement recently. In order to utilize CNF as reinforcement more effectively, it is important to have a comprehensive idea about the mechanical properties of individual CNFs. Most of the studies are focused on the elastic modulus in the longitudinal direction, but the study of the elastic modulus in the transverse direction is still lacking. In this study, a single strand of CNF was subjected to an atomic force microscopy to characterize the surface morphology of CNF and determine the transverse elastic modulus through nanoindentation. The transverse elastic modulus of CNF was calculated to be 6.9 [Formula: see text] 0.4 GPa using extended JKR model.

In this study, wet-spun filaments were prepared using lignocellulose nanofibril (LCNF), with 6.0% and 13.0% of hemicellulose and lignin, respectively, holocellulose nanofibril (HCNF), with 37% hemicellulose, and nearly purified-cellulose nanofibril (NP-CNF) through wet-disk milling followed by high-pressure homogenization. The diameter was observed to increase in the order of NP-CNF ≤ HCNF < LCNF. The removal of lignin improved the defibrillation efficiency, thus increasing the specific surface area and filtration time. All samples showed the typical X-ray diffraction pattern of cellulose I. The orientation of CNFs in the wet-spun filaments was observed to increase at a low concentration of CNF suspensions and high spinning rate. The increase in the CNF orientation improved the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the wet-spun filaments. The tensile strength of the wet-spun filaments decreased in the order of HCNF > NP-CNF > LCNF.

To understand the swelling behavior of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films, the dimensional variation of untreated and phenol formaldehyde modified CNF (CNF/PF) films soaked in distilled water was examined in situ with microscopic image recording combined with pixel calculation. Results showed that a dramatic thickness increase exhibited in both CNF and CNF/PF films, despite being at different swelling levels. Compared to thickness swelling, however, the width expansion for these films is negligible. Such significant difference in dimensional swelling for CNF and PF modified films is mainly caused by nanofibril deposition and their mesostructure. However, addition of PF modifier has a positive effect on the constraint of water absorption and thickness swelling, which is strongly dependent on PF loadings.

Abstract Homogeneous and transparent CNF films, fabricated from the (2,2,6,6- tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl) oxyl (TEMPO)-modified CNF suspension, were laminated onto wood flakes (WF) based on phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin and the reinforcement potential of the material has been investigated. The focus was on the influence of CNF film lamination, relative humidity (RH), heat treatment, and anisotropic properties of WF on the CNF-WF laminate tensile properties (elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, strain to failure). Results demonstrated that CNF-WF laminates had improved mechanical performance as compared to the neat WF. In the WF transverse direction, there were gains of nearly 200% in Young’s modulus and 300% in ultimate tensile strength. However, in the WF axial direction, the reinforcement effect was minor after PF modification of the wood and the presence of the CNF layers. The effective elastic moduli of the CNF-WF laminates were calculated based on the laminated plate theory, and the calculation in both axial and transverse directions were in agreement with the experimental results.

A series of mechanically strong and fully biobased carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/cellulose nanofibril (CNF) hybrid aerogels were produced via an environmentally friendly unidirectional freeze-drying process.

The aim of this study was to develop a chitosan/cellulose nanofibril (CNF) nanocomposite and evaluate its effect on strawberry’s postharvest quality after coating. From the results of color, thickness, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and permeability to water vapor analyses, the best film formulation for coating strawberries was determined. Three coating formulations were prepared: 1% chitosan, 1% chitosan + 3% CNF, and 1% chitosan + 5% CNF. The strawberries were immersed in the filmogenic solutions and kept under cold storage (1 ± 1°C). The color of the film was not affected by increased concentration of cellulose nanofibrils; however, the thickness and water vapor permeability were affected by the CNF addition. The coating with the highest CNF concentration performed better in reducing fruit mass and firmness loss. The color was positively influenced by the addition of the coating, regardless of formulation, as well as soluble solid content, PG enzymatic activity, and the fruit appearance. The pH and titratable acidity showed no significant difference among treatments. It was observed that the vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and anthocyanin content, as well as the PAL activity and the antioxidant activity (except for % protection), were affected by chitosan coating, however not by the addition of CNFs.

ABSTRACTIn this study, biodegradable foams were produced using cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and starch (S). The availability of high volumes of CNFs at lower costs is rapidly progressing with advances in pilot-scale and commercial facilities. The foams were produced using a freeze-drying process with CNF/S water suspensions ranging from 1 to 7.5 wt. % solids content. Microscopic evaluation showed that the foams have a microcellular structure and that the foam walls are covered with CNF`s. The CNF's had diameters ranging from 30 nm to 100 nm. Pore sizes within the foam walls ranged from 20 nm to 100 nm. The materials` densities ranging from 0.012 to 0.082 g/cm3 with corresponding porosities between 93.46% and 99.10%. Thermal conductivity ranged from 0.041 to 0.054 W/m-K. The mechanical performance of the foams produced from the starch control was extremely low and the material was very friable. The addition of CNF's to starch was required to produce foams, which exhibited structural integrity. The mechanical properties of materials were positively correlated with solids content and CNF/S ratios. The mechanical and thermal properties for the foams produced in this study appear promising for applications such as insulation and packaging.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) is a renewable material with unique strength properties. A difficulty in CNF production is that CNF suspensions contain large amounts of water. If CNF suspension volume can be decreased by dewatering facilitated by centrifugation, then transportation costs and storage costs can be reduced. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the impact various parameters have on CNF centrifugation dewatering and identify optimal conditions for maximal water removal. A laboratory study was conducted using four materials; 2.0 w% enzymatically treated CNF (CNF1), 1.9 w% carboxymethylated CNF (CNF2) and two commercial samples (1.9 w% CNFA and 1.8 w% CNFB). The main method was analytical centrifugation up to 2330 g. Parameters tested were initial concentration before centrifugation, temperature, NaCl addition, pH, and applied solid compressive pressure (g-force and surface weight). In addition to centrifugation experiments the four materials were characterized with laser diffraction, UV-vis absorption, Dynamic light scattering, and dry weight measurements. Analysis of the experimental data collected show that increase in initial concentration give a higher final concentration, but less water is removed. Furthermore, temperature changes have no effect on separation of CNF and water. At an applied solid compressive pressure of 3 kPa and initial concentration at 1.5 w% the concentrations 5.5 w%, 1.5 w%, 4.0 w%, and 4.3 w% can be reach for CNF1, CNF2, CNFA, and CNFB respectively. After extrapolation of polynomial functions fitted to experimental data an applied solid compressive pressure of 22 kPa and initial concentration at 1:5 w%, the concentrations 9.1 w%, 1.5 w%, 6.9 w%, and 7.9 w% are predicted for CNF1, CNF2, CNFA, and CNFB respectively. The thickening of CNF suspensions achieved and predicted in this thesis implies possibilities for large amounts of water removal, e.g. the water content in a CNF1 suspension is reduced from 65.7 litres/kg CNF to 10.0 litres/kg CNF at the solid compressive pressure 22 kPa. The concentrations at 22 kPa are determined by extrapolation from experimental data <3 kPa solid compressive pressure. The carboxymethylated CNF2 can not be dewatered unless it is diluted or if salt or pH is adjusted. This is directly correlated to the electrostatic forces in the suspension and the Debye length. Addition of salt or lowered pH also eliminate any concentration gradients in diluted and centrifuged CNF2 suspensions.
Cellulosa nanofibriller (CNF) är ett förnybart material med unika styrkeegenskaper. En svårighet med produktion av CNF är att CNF suspensioner innehåller stora mängder vatten. Om volymerna av CNF suspensioner kan minskas med avvattning genom centrifugering, då kan transport- och lagerkostnader sänkas. Målet med det här examensarbetet är att undersöka vilken inverkan olika parametrar har på CNF-avvattning genom centrifugering och identifiera optimala förhållanden för maximalt avlägsnande av vatten. En laboratoriestudie utfördes på fyra olika material. De fyra materialen är 2 w% enzymatiskt behandlad CNF (CNF1), 1.9 w% karboxymetylerad CNF (CNF2) och två kommersiella prover (1.9 w% CNFA och 1.8 w% CNFB). Den huvudsakliga metoden var analytisk centrifugering upp till maximalt 2330 g. De testade parametrarna var initial koncentration innan centrifugering, temperatur, NaCl tillsats, pH, och applicerat fast kompressionstryck (g-kraft och ytvikt). Förutom centrifugeringsexperimenten så karaktäriserades the fyra mmaterialen med laser diffraktion, UV-vis absorption, dynamisk ljusspridning och vägningar av torrhalt. Analys av den experimentella data som insamlats visar att en ökad initial koncentration ger en högre slutkoncnentration, men mindre vatten kan bortföras. Temperaturförändringar har ingen effekt på separation av CNF och vatten. Vid ett applicerat fast kompressibelt tryck på 3 kPa och en initial koncentration 1.5 w% kan koncentrationerna 5.5 w%, 1.5 w%, 4.0 w%, och 4.3 w% nås för CNF1, CNF2, CNFA, och CNFB. Efter extrapolering av polynoma funktioner passad till experimentell data förutspås att koncentrationerna 9.1 w%, 1.5 w%, 6.9 w%, och 7.9 w% kan nås för CNF1, CNF2, CNFA, and CNFB vid 22 kPa och en initial koncentration på 1.5 w%. Förtjockningen av CNF suspensioner som kan, eller förutspås kunna nås genom centrifugering i det här examensarbetet innebär att det är möjligt att avlägsna stora mängder vatten, till exempel kan vatteninnehållet i CNF1 minskas från 65.7 liter/kg CNF till 10.0 liter/kg CNF vid 22 kPa fast kompressionstryck. Koncentrationerna vid 22 kPa fast kompressionstryck är extrapolerade från exprimentell data <3 kPa fast kompressionstryck. Den karboy- metylerade CNF2 kan inte avvattnas om den inte späds ut eller om salt eller pH justeras. Detta är direkt kopplat till de elektrostatiska krafterna i suspensionen och Debye längden. Tillsats av salt eller sänkt pH eliminerar också de koncentrationsgradienter som kan förekomma i utspädda centrifugerade CNF2 suspensioner.

The innovative technology behind production of strong biofilaments involves the process of spinning filaments from nanoparticles extracted from wood. These nanoparticles are called cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). The spun filaments can have high mechanical properties, rivaling many other plant based materials, and could be an environmentally friendly replacement for many materials in the future such as fabrics and composites. Before mass production might be possible, the optimal dispersion properties must be determined for the intended use, with regard to concentration, method of oxidation (TEMPO-oxidation or carboxymethylation) and pretreatment through sonication and centrifugation. In this bachelor’s thesis attributes of spun filaments were investigated in order to find a correlation between mechanical properties and the effects of concentration, method of oxidation as well as sonication and centrifugation of the dispersions. The mechanical properties were also compared to the fibrils’ ability to entangle and align during flow-focusing. A variety of analytical methods: flow-stop, tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) were implemented for the dispersions and filaments. The results from this study show that flow-stop analysis could be used to determine which CNF dispersions are spinnable and which are non-spinnable, along with which spinnable dispersion would yield the strongest filament. It was also concluded that crystallinity of fibrils affects the mechanical properties of filaments and that TCNFs are generally more crystalline than CMCs. Pretreatment through sonication and centrifugation seems to have a negative impact on spinnability and sonication in combination with low concentration seems to lead to non-spinnable conditions. On the other hand, sonicated dispersions seem to yield a greater number of samples without aggregates than non-sonicated ones. Aggregates, however, seem to only affect ultimate stress out of the measured mechanical properties. Furthermore, concentration and viscosity affect spinnability and CMC dispersions seem to yield thicker filaments than TCNF dispersions. However, due to lack of statistically validated data any definitive conclusions could not be drawn.

Cellulose nanofibrils are a biobased and renewable material with potential to be used in many different applications. Such applications include air filtration, absorption of liquids, and thermal insulation.  To be used for these applications the cellulose nanofibrils must form a porous and dry material. However, maintaining some degree of porosity after drying is difficult, since the fibrils are extracted in liquid and tend to collapse into a dense material upon drying. Certain methods have proven effective for making a dry porous material from cellulose nanofibrils, but these are often expensive and not suitable for large scale production. The aim of this project is to test possible methods for making a highly porous cellulose nanofibril-based material. These methods must be environmentally sustainable and suitable for large scale production. An extensive screening has been conducted with the aim of identifying methods resulting in materials with high porosity. The obtained materials have been analysed further to give a more thorough understanding of the porosity as well as other characteristics. The results indicate that cross-links in the material strengthen the structure, and that drying samples from water always results in complete collapse or very dense materials while drying samples from certain solvents other than water results in more porous materials. The analysed materials had very different porosities, some of which were relatively high. The most porous material analysed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller gas adsorption had a surface area of 9.5 m2/g. This project gives insight into how cross-linking chemistries and treatment with different solvents and pH affect the resulting cellulose nanofibril-based material, as well as knowledge about which methods can be used to successfully produce dry porous cellulose nanofibril-based materials.

Transparenta papper tillverkade av cellulosa nanofibriller (CNF), visar stor potential att kunna ersätta petroleumbaserade plaster inom många användningsområden, till exempel för mat- och varuförpackningar. CNF, även känt som nanocellulosa, kombinerar viktiga cellulosaegenskaper, med unika egenskaper hos nanomaterial. Denna kombination av egenskaper möjliggör tillverkning av ett pappers-liknande material som uppvisar både utmärkta mekaniska egenskaper och hög transparens. Användningen av nanocellulosa är dock förknippad med diverse utmaningar, för att materialet ska kunna bli kommersiellt slagkraftigt. En av de främsta utmaningarna är nanocellulosas höga affinitet för vatten och dess höga specifika yta som försvårar hanteringen av materialet. Avvattningen av nanocellulosadispersioner, för att tillverka transparenta papper, kan ta upp till flera timmar. För att övervinna detta hinder, har avdelningen för Fiberteknologi vid KTH tillsammans med BillerudKorsnäs AB, nyligen utvecklat en metodik för att skapa så kallade själv-fibrillerande fibrer (SFFer). Dessa fibrer möjliggör en snabbavvattnad papperstillverkningsprocess med makroskopiska vedbaserade fibrer, som efter tillverkning av pappret omvandlas till ett nanocellulosapapper, det vill säga ett nanopapper. För att erhålla SFFer krävs det att höga koncentrationer av karboxyl- och aldehydgrupper introduceras i cellulosafibrerna. Införandet av dessa funktionella grupper, möjliggör självfibrilleringen då SFFerna utsätts för moderata alkali-koncentrationer. I den ursprungliga studien som utfördes av Gorur m.fl., introducerades de funktionella grupperna med hjälp av sekventiell TEMPO- och periodatoxidation. I detta examensarbete, har alternativa kemiska metoder för att introducera samma kemiska funktionalitet som TEMPO-periodatsystemet undersökts. Huvudsyftet med arbetet är att besvara frågan: Hur påverkar olika kemiska behandlingar vid SFF tillverkningen, de kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaperna hos de modifierade fibrerna, samt de slutgiltiga pappersegenskaperna? För att besvara frågan, preparerades fibrer med liknande karboxyl- och aldehydinnehåll med hjälp av följande tre kemiska metoder: 1) TEMPO- följd av periodatoxidation (detta kommer att användas som referenssystem); 2) periodat- följd av kloritoxidation; 3) karboxymetylering följd av periodatoxidation. Egenskaperna hos fibrerna undersöktes med avseende på aldehyd- och karboxylinnehåll, avvattningspotential och förmåga att självfibrillera. Papper tillverkades med hjälp av en vakuumfiltreringsuppställning och följande egenskaper undersöktes hos pappret: mekaniska egenskaper (dragstyrka, brottsyrka och Young’s modul); optiska (transparens och ytreflektion); samt syrgaspermeabilitet. De erhållna fibrerna från samtliga tre kemiska modifieringar visade på självfibrillerande egenskaper i alkaliska lösningar. Detta beteende styrker hypotesen att ett strategiskt införande av ett högt karboxyl- och aldehydinnehåll leder till självfibrillerande fibrer. Transparenta papper tillverkade av fibrer som utsatts för TEMPO-periodatoxidation samt klorit-periodatoxidation, visade på utmärkta mekaniska egenskaper, hög transparens och bra barriäregenskaper - jämförbara med vad som vanligen kan noteras hos papper tillverkat av nanocellulosa. Samtliga egenskaper förbättrades ytterligare efter fibrillering av fibrerna i papperen. De karboxymetylerade-periodatoxiderade materialet, å andra sidan, uppvisade andra egenskaper jämfört med de två, tidigare nämnda, metoderna. TEMPO-periodat- och periodat-klorit-pappersmassan var halvgenomskinlig och geléliknande, medan den karboxymetylerade-periodatoxiderade massan var mer lik det omodifierade materialet. Detsamma gällde det tillverkade pappret som liknade ett konventionellt papper. Det var inte heller möjligt att åstadkomma en fibrillering av det karboxymetylerade-periodatoxiderade-pappret som utsattes för behandling med alkaliska lösningar. Avvattningstiden vid papperstillverkningen varierad mellan 4 och 60 sekunder, och karboxymetylering-periodat oxidation visade på snabbast avvattningstid. Den förlängda avvattningstiden i jämförelse med studien utförd av Gorur m.fl., tros främst bero på att ett filtreringsmembran med mindre porer användes på vakuumfiltreringsuppställningen, istället för en avvattningsvira som tidigare använts. Sammanfattningsvis så har det visat sig möjligt att tillverka självfibrillerande fibrer med hjälp av samtliga tre undersökta kemiska modifieringar. SFFer möjliggör tillverkning av snabbavvattnade transparenta nanocellulosapapper och visar på så vis på hög potential att kunna ersätta olje-baserade plaster till många förpackningsapplikationer.
Transparent papers made from cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), derived from e.g. wood, show great potential to replace petroleum-based plastics in many application areas, such as packaging for foods and goods. CNF, also known as nanocellulose, combine important cellulose properties with the unique features of nanoscale materials, gaining paper-like materials with outstanding mechanical properties and high transparency. However, nanocellulose faces various challenges in order to make the products commercially competitive. One of the main challenges is accompanied with nanocelluloses’ high affinity for water, which makes processing difficult. Dewatering of a nanocellulose dispersion in order to produce transparent paper may take up to several hours. To overcome this obstacle, the Fibre technology division at KTH Royal Institute of technology and BillerudKorsnäs AB have recently developed a new concept of self-fibrillating fibres (SFFs). This material enables fast-dewatering papermaking using fibres of native dimensions and conversion into nanocellulose after the paper has been prepared. In order to obtain SFFs, proper amounts of charged groups and aldehyde groups need to be introduced into the cellulose backbone. When SFFs are exposed to high alkali concentration, i.e. > pH=10, the fibres self-fibrillates into CNFs. In the original study, the functional groups were introduced through sequential TEMPO oxidation and periodate oxidation. In this work, alternative chemical routes have been examined to prepare SFFs with the same functional groups as introduced with the TEMPO-periodate system. The aim of the thesis has been to answer: how does different chemical routes to prepare transparent nanopaper made from SFFs affect the chemical and physical properties of the modified fibres, as well as the final physical properties of the transparent papers? To answer the question, fibres with similar carboxyl and aldehyde contents were prepared using three chemical routes: 1) TEMPO oxidation followed by periodate oxidation (which was used as reference system); 2) periodate oxidation followed by chlorite oxidation; 3) carboxymethylation followed by periodate oxidation. The properties of the fibres were examined regarding aldehyde and carboxyl content, dewatering potential and self-fibrillating ability. Papers were produced using a vacuum filtration set-up and the properties investigated were the mechanical; tensile strength, strain at failure and Young’s modulus, the optical properties; transparency and haze, as well as the oxygen permeability. In order to investigate the impact of the fibrillation of the papers, the properties were measured for both unfibrillated and fibrillated samples. Furthermore, the gravimetric yield after each chemical modification procedure was examined, as well as the dewatering time during sheet making. Fibres obtained from all three chemistries demonstrated self-fibrillating properties in alkaline solutions. This strengthens the hypothesis that the strategical introduction of aldehydes and carboxyl groups is the main feature responsible for the self-fibrillating ability of the fibres. Transparent papers made from fibres treated through TEMPO-periodate oxidation and periodate-chlorite oxidation showed excellent mechanical, optical and barrier properties, comparable to those seen in nanocellulose papers. The properties were further increased after fibrillation. The carboxymethylated-periodate oxidized fibres, on the other hand, behaved differently from the others. While the TEMPO-periodate and periodate-chlorite pulp was semi-translucent and gel-like, the carboxymethylated-periodate oxidized fibres resembled more the unmodified material. Likewise, the properties of those papers resembled conventional paper and no fibrillationwas experienced after immersing the papers in alkaline solution, according to the same protocol developed for the other two chemistries. The dewatering time during sheet making ranged from 4–60 seconds (carboxymethylation-periodate oxidation showing the fastest dewatering rates). The increased dewatering time compared to earlier studies is believed to mainly be due to the use of a filtration membrane on the vacuum filtration set-up, instead of a metallic wire with larger pores. Overall, SFFs was successfully produced using three different chemical routes. SFFs enables production of fast-dewatering transparent nanocellulose papers that shows the potential to replace oil-based plastics in many packaging applications.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Celulose nanofibrila (CNF) refere-se aos aglomerados de fibrilas de celulose com diâmetro na ordem de nanômetros, obtidos a partir de fibras celulósicas, por processamento mecânico. As principais características da CNF são elevadas resistência mecânica e transparência, além do baixo peso específico e coeficiente de expansão térmica. Outro fator de relevância é ser um polímero biodegradável, portanto interessante do ponto de vista ambiental. Adicionalmente, a superfície da CNF apresenta elevada concentração de grupos hidroxilas, o que a torna adequada para a introdução de moléculas ou polímeros, a fim de melhorar o seu desempenho ou desenvolver novas funcionalidades. A CNF tem sido investigada com um substituto aos polímeros sintéticos nas mais diferentes áreas. Este estudo trata da modificação da CNF para utilização como aditivo na produção de papel e foi dividido em três etapas. Na primeira etapa foi realizada uma revisão de literatura sobre modificação superficial de CNF. Na segunda etapa a CNF foi cationizada com o objetivo de tornar a sua distribuição homogênea na estrutura do papel e promover ligações entre as fibras em maior quantidade e mais fortes. As propriedades físico- químicas e ultraestruturais da CNF antes (P-CNF) e após a cationização (C1- CNF e C2-CNF) foram mensuradas com a finalidade de comprovar a cationização e verificar o seu efeito na estrutura da CNF. As CNFs cationizadas apresentaram conteúdos de trimetilamônio de 0.68 (C1-CNF) e 1.21 mmol·g -1 (C2-CNF). As reações de cationização diminuíram a espessura e o comprimento das fibrilas, bem como degradaram a cadeia e a estrutura cristalina da celulose, sendo esses efeitos mais pronunciados para a reação que resultou na C2-CNF. Na terceira etapa, as C-CNFs foram utilizadas como aditivo na melhoria de qualidade da polpa kraft de eucalipto para a produção de papel. O efeito da adição das C-CNFs no tempo de drenagem da polpa e nas propriedades físico-mecânicas e ópticas do papel foi avaliado. Após a cationização, a CNF apresentou distribuição homogênea na estrutura do papel. Somente as polpas com elevadas cargas de C-CNFs (3% and 5%) apresentaram tempos de drenagem maiores que aquelas com adição de P- CNF. A adição de C2-CNF resultou em polpas com tempo de drenagem estatisticamente maior que a adição de C1-CNF. Quando comparado com os papéis com adição de P-CNF, aqueles com adição de C-CNFs possuem menores volume específico aparente (VEA) e maiores resistência à passagem de ar (RPA) e lisura. Somente a adição de elevadas cargas de C-CNFs resultou em papéis com índices de rasgo e arrebentamento estatisticamente maiores que aqueles com P-CNF. Uma possível explicação seriam os maiores flóculos presentes durante a formação do papel, o que levou ao maior entrelaçamento entre as fibras. Quando comparada com a P-CNF, a adição de diferentes cargas de C-CNFs não resultou aumento do índice de tração dos papéis. A redução da resistência mecânica para a polpa com baixas cargas de C-CNFs se deve, possivelmente, ao rompimento do papel ter ocorrido na C- CNF, que foi degradada durante a reação de cationização. Os papéis com C- CNFs apresentaram menores coeficientes de dispersão de luz (CDL) e maiores transparências do que aqueles com P-CNF. No geral, o grau de cationização da CNF teve efeito nas propriedades físicas e ópticas do papel, mas não teve efeito nas propriedades mecânicas. Para o uso da CNF cationizada na melhoria das propriedades do papel, a reação de cationização deve ser realizada em meio compatível com a produção de papel e não prejudicar a estrutura da CNF. Adicionalmente, o grau de cationização e a carga de CNF precisa ser otimizada para melhorar as propriedades do papel sem aumentar o tempo de drenagem da polpa.
Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) refers to cellulose fibril agglomerates with diameter in the nanometer scale, obtained from cellulosic fibers by mechanical processing. Its main characteristics are high mechanical strength and transparency, in addition to the low specific weight and coefficient of thermal expansion. Another relevant factor is to be a biodegradable polymer, therefore attractive from an environmental point of view. Additionally, the surface of the CNF presents high concentration of hydroxyl groups, suitable for introducing molecules or polymers, which can improve its performances or develop new features. The CNF has been studied as a substitute for synthetic polymers in many different areas. In this study, the CNF was modified for use as an additive to produce paper, and consists of three stages. In the first stage, a literature review of surface modification of CNF was conducted. In the second stage, the CNF was cationized in order to make its distribution more homogeneous on paper structure, allowing a large number and strong bounds between the fibers. The physicochemical and ultrastructural properties of CNF before (P-CNF) and after the cationization (C1-CNF and C2-CNF) were evaluated, in order to ensure the modification process and verify its effect on the CNF structure. The CNFs presented trimethylammonium chloride content of 0.68 (C1-CNF) and 1.21 mmol·g -1 (C2-CNF). The cationization reactions decreased the fibrils thickness and the length, and also degraded the cellulose chain and crystallinity structure, these effects being more pronounced for the reaction that resulted in the C2- CNF. In the third stage, the C-CNFs were used as additive to improve quality of eucalyptus kraft pulp on paper production. The effect of adding C-CNFs on pulp drainage time and on physical-mechanical and optical properties of paper sheets was evaluated. After the cationization, the CNF presented homogeneous distribution on paper structure. Only the pulps with high charges of C-CNFs (3% and 5%) presented drainage time higher than those with P-CNF. The addition of C2-CNF resulted in pulps with drainage time statistically higher than those with C1-CNF. In general, the papers with addition of C-CNFs presented lower bulk, and higher air resistance and smoothness than those with P-CNF. Only the addition of high charges of C-CNFs resulted in papers with tear index and burst index statistically higher than those with P-CNF. A possible explanation is that larger flocs present during the paper formation can cause a greater entanglement between the fibers. When compared with P-CNF, the addition of different charges of C-CNFs did not increase the tensile index of papers. The reduction of mechanical strength for paper with low charges of C-CNFs may have occurred by rupture of the paper in the C-CNF, which was degraded during the cationic reaction. The papers with addition of different charges of C- CNF presented lower light scattering coefficient and higher transparency than those with P-CNF. In general, the degree of cationization of CNF had effect on the physical and optical properties of paper, however it had no effect on mechanical properties. For the use of cationic CNF as additive to improve quality of Eucalyptus kraft pulp on paper production, it is necessary that the cationic reaction be performed in medium compatible with paper production and does not damage the CNF structure. Additionally, the degree of cationization and the charge of CNF have to be optimized to improve the paper properties without increasing the pulp drainage time.

Agricultural waste is of particularly interest due to abudant, cheap, widely available worldwide and renewable material. It represent a good option for wood sources substitution, containing similar in chemical and physical characteristics. The present Doctoral Thesis studies the possibility of substituting wood sources by crop residues and replacing synthetic binders by natural adhesives in fiberboard production. Corn and rice biomass were selected as raw materials, followed by thermo-mechanical pulping (TMP) pretreatment. Fiberboards made of TMP of both crop residues without any binder presented lower mechanical properties than commercial ones (which contained synthetic binder). In term of physical properties, lower water absorption and thickness swelling were found for the fiberboards made of crop residues than for the commercial one. Overall, the present study shows a more sustainable and effective way of producing cellulose-based fiberboards without aid of any synthetic binder, contributing thus to both technical and environmental aspects of fiberboard manufacturing
Els residus agrícoles tenen un gran interès per ser un material abundant , barat, àmpliament disponible a tot el món i renovable. Es tracta d'una bona opció per substituir la fusta, i presenta característiques físiques i químiques similars a aquesta. La present tesi doctoral estudia la possibilitat de substituir la fusta i els aglutinants sintètics per residus de cultius i adhesius naturals respectivament en la producció panell de fibres. La biomassa de blat de moro i arròs sotmesa a un tractament termomecànic (TMP)es va seleccionar com a matèria primera. El panell de fibra resultant d'ambdós residus sense cap tipus d'aglutinant presentaven propietats mecàniques més baixes que els panells comercials (que contenien un lligant sintètic). Respecte a les propietats físiques, es va observar un augment de volum i espessor al absorbir aigua menors en el panell de fibres naturals que no pas en els comercials. En general, el present estudi mostra una forma més sostenible i efectiva de produir panells de fibra a base de cel·lulosa sense utilitzar aglutinant sintètic, fet que contribueix a la millora d’aspectes tècnics i ambientals en el procés de fabricació dels panells de fibra

This work describes three alternative processes for producing microfibrillated cellulose (MFC; also referred to as cellulose nanofibrils, CNF) in which bleached pulp fibres are first pretreated and then homogenized using a high-pressure homogenizer. In one process, fibre cell wall delamination was facilitated by a combined enzymatic and mechanical pretreatment. In the two other processes, cell wall delamination was facilitated by pretreatments that introduced anionically charged groups into the fibre wall, by means of either a carboxymethylation reaction or irreversibly attaching carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to the fibres. All three processes are industrially feasible and enable energy-efficient production of MFC. Using these processes, MFC can be produced with an energy consumption of 500–2300 kWh/tonne. These materials have been characterized in various ways and it has been demonstrated that the produced MFCs are approximately 5–30 nm wide and up to several microns long. The MFCs were also evaluated in a number of applications in paper. The carboxymethylated MFC was used to prepare strong free-standing barrier films and to coat wood-containing papers to improve the surface strength and reduce the linting propensity of the papers. MFC, produced with an enzymatic pretreatment, was also produced at pilot scale and was studied in a pilot-scale paper making trial as a strength agent added at the wet-end for highly filled papers.

QC 20150126

Dans cette thèse, des particules de polymère fonctionnalisées en surface avec des groupes poly (éthylène glycol) (PEG) ont été synthétisées pour favoriser leur interaction avec les dérivés cellulosique via liaisons hydrogène intermoléculaires. Deux voies de synthèse ont été proposées pour obtenir ses composites cellulose/latex.La première voie est basée sur l'auto-assemblage induit par polymérisation (PISA) pour former des nanoparticules fonctionnalisées avant leur adsorption sur un substrat cellulosique. La PISA tire profit de la formation de copolymères blocs amphiphiles dans l'eau en combinant la polymérisation en émulsion avec les techniques de polymérisation radicalaire contrôlées (RDRP). Ces dernières sont utilisées pour synthétiser des polymères hydrophiles agissant à la fois comme précurseur pour la polymerization en émulsion d'un monomère hydrophobe, et comme stabilisant des particules de latex obtenues. Deux techniques de RDRP ont été étudiées : les polymérisations RAFT et SET-LRP. Des polymères hydrophiles à base de PEG de faible masse molaire ont été synthétisés en utilisant ses deux techniques qui sont ensuite utilisés pour la polymérisation d'un bloc hydrophobe dans l'eau. Le transfert de l'agent de contrôle au site de la polymérisation était difficile en utilisant la SET-LRP en émulsion, conduisant à la formation de larges particules. En utilisant la RAFT en émulsion, des particules nanométriques ont été obtenues, avec un changement morphologique observé en fonction de la taille du segment hydrophobe, puis adsorbées sur des nanofibrilles de cellulose (CNF).La seconde voie utilise la polymérisation en émulsion classique réalisée en présence de nanocristaux de cellulose (CNC) conduisant à une stabilisation Pickering des particules de polymère. L'interaction cellulose/particule est assurée grâce à l'ajout d’un comonomère à type PEG. Une organisation a été visualisé dans laquelle plusieurs particules de polymère recouvrent chaque CNC
In this thesis, polymer particles surface-functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) groups were synthesized to promote their interaction with cellulose derivatives via intermolecular hydrogen bond. Two synthetic routes were proposed to obtain such cellulose/latex composites.The first route was based on the polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) to form functionalized polymer nanoparticles prior to adsorption onto cellulosic substrate. PISA takes advantage of the formation of amphiphilic block copolymers in water by combining emulsion polymerization with reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) techniques. The latter were used to synthesize well-controlled hydrophilic polymer chains, acting as both precursor for the emulsion polymerization of a hydrophobic monomer, and stabilizer of the final latex particles. Two RDRP techniques were investigated: reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), and single electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP). Low molar mass PEG-based hydrophilic polymers have been synthesized using both techniques, used for the polymerization of a hydrophobic block in water. The transfer of controlling agent at the locus of the polymerization was challenging for SET-LRP in emulsion conditions leading to surfactant-free large particles. Nanometric latex particles were obtained via RAFT-mediated emulsion polymerization, with morphology change from sphere to fibers observed depending on the size of the hydrophobic segment, which were then able to be adsorbed onto cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs).The second route used conventional emulsion polymerization performed directly in presence of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) leading to Pickering-type stabilization of the polymer particles. Cellulose/particle interaction was provided thanks to the addition of PEG-based comonomer. Original organization emerged where CNCs were covered by several polymer particles

Concrete is in everyday life such as parking lots, buildings, bridges, and more. To keep concrete and its constituents together, binders such as cement are used. Cement’s production process is responsible for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions as of 2018. With global warming being a severe global issue, the challenge of reducing cement carbon dioxide emissions can be greatly beneficial with even slight improvements. Various solutions to this challenge have developed over the years in the form of processing efficiency, material substitution, or material additives. Of the additives for cement and concrete that have been ventured, nanomaterials have had a strong development in recent years. Specifically, cellulose nanomaterials in the form of nanocrystals, nanofibrils, and more have demonstrated great improvement in cement’s performance resulting in a reduction in cement produced and reduction in emissions. This study expands on the knowledge of cellulose nanocrystals as an additive for cement using the formation factor methodology. Formation factor is a resistivity ratio of the specimen and pore solution that can be used in correlation to the diffusion of chloride ions through the use of the Nernst-Einstein equation. This study also investigates the effect that cellulose nanomaterials have on the mechanical properties and thermogravimetric analysis of gypsum, a material commonly used in cement production that delays the hardening of cement.

Cellulose is considered one of the most important renewable sources of biopolymers on Earth. It has attracted widespread attention due to its physical–chemical characteristics, such as biocompatibility, low toxicity, biodegradability, low density, high strength, stability in organic solvents, in addition to having hydroxyl groups, which enable its chemical modification. In this study, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were functionalized with dicyanovinyl groups through nucleophilic vinylic substitution (SNV) and used as electrocatalyst in electrochemical of carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction. Results indicate that introducing dicyanovinyl groups into the structure of nanocellulose increases electrocatalytic activity as compared to that of pure nanocellulose, shifting the onset potential of the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction to more positive values as compared to those for the reaction with argon. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show no changes in the morphology of CNFs after chemical modification.

Water-based dispersion adhesives consist of a solid adhesive dispersed in an aqueous phase. These adhesives contain water-soluble additives such as surfactants, emulsifiers, and protective colloids, which act as links between the solid adhesive particles and the aqueous phase. They prevent the adhesive particles from sticking together and separating during storage. During drying, these additives evaporate or are absorbed into the adhesive. Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) are further examples of ethylene copolymers. PVAc is used as an emulsion adhesive for production of bags, sacks and cartons. Recently there have been some preliminary investigations concerning the addition of nanocellulose as adhesion improver. Nanocellulose is a term that refers to nanostructured cellulose. It can be either cellulose nanocrystal (CNC or NCC), cellulose nanofibres (CNF) also called nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), or bacterial nanocellulose, which refers to nanostructured cellulose produced by bacteria. CNF is a material consisting of nanofibrillated cellulose fibrils with a high aspect ratio (length to width ratio). In this study, we tested the adhesion strength of two PVAc adhesives by adding 0,5, 1 and 2% [wt.%] of two types of nanocellulose to two commercial adhesives. The adhesive was applied to the cardboard with a rod coater. To test the influence of temperature, we varied the mixture at two different temperatures (23 and 45°C). The adhered samples were tested for z-direction tensile strength (according to ISO 15754:2009) and T-peel test (ASTM D1876-08) on a mechanical testing device. The results showed no significant improvement in adhesion strength compared to pure adhesive, indicating that further optimization of the adhesive mixture and testing procedure is required.

Abstract Foam fracturing is an effective method for the development of unconventional reservoirs. However, due to lamellar film, high pressure differences within foam films, and the strong diffusivity of the internal phase, foam is prone to suffering from unstable phenomena such as rupture, drainage, disproportionation, etc., thus leading to uncontrollable foam flow behavior in the tube and formation. In this work, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were used to enhance foam fracturing fluid. The target is not only to obtain a stable foam system, but also to control its rheology, proppant-carrying and leak-off behavior. The stability of the N2 foam fracturing fluid with CNFs was firstly explored via static tests by measuring its foam volume and liquid drainage. Then, the viscosity of foam fracturing fluids with different foam quality was measured using a tube viscometer under conditions of use, to evaluate the rheology of foam with CNFs. Subsequently, the proppant-carrying capacity was evaluated by observing suspension state of proppants in foam over time. The microscopic images of the foam with proppants were collected to analyze the interaction between bubbles and proppant. Finally, the dynamic filtration behavior and core damage of foam with CNFs were investigated by using a dynamic filtration apparatus. The results of the static tests showed that the stability of foam was significantly enhanced by the addition of CNFs, and the liquid drainage and gas diffusion could be effectively inhibited. Upon foam evolution, bare surfactant foam formed a polyhedral structure rapidly, while the CNFs enhanced foam maintained spherical and dense for a long time. The viscosity of foams with and without cellulose nanofibrils showed a shear thinning behavior. With the addition of CNFs, the viscosity of foam was improved by 3 - 6 times compared with bare surfactant foam and its value was increased with foam quality changing from 60% to 80%. The results of proppant-carrying tests indicated that the proppants suspension in foam was improved obviously as the cellulose nanofibrils were added. For CNFs-stabilized foam, the aqueous film of bubbles became thicker and the mechanical strength of foam structure was improved, thus enhancing the proppant suspension in the foams. Moreover, the filtration control performance of CNFs foam was also improved compared with bare surfactant foam. The filtration coefficient of CNFs foam fracturing fluid decreased with increasing CNFs concentration at a filtration pressure difference of 3 MPa, and core damage was maintained at a relatively low level. Additionally, the filtration coefficient of CNFs-stabilized foam and its core damage could be reduced with the increase of foam quality from 60% to 80%. The stability, rheology, proppant-carrying and dynamic filtration control of foam fracturing fluid enhanced by cellulose nanofibrils were explored in this work. The results show that the addition of CNFs effectively improves the stability of the foam, thus enabling the rheology, proppant-carrying and the dynamic filtration to be well controlled, which provides a high-performance and eco-friendly foam fracturing fluid.