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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Bioproducts Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141783
Title: POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES FROM CELLULOSE MICROFIBRILS

Author
item Orts, William
item Inglesby, Maria
item Glenn, Gregory - Greg
item Wood, Delilah - De
item Bailey, Dwight
item REVOL, JEAN-FRANCOIS - MONTREAL, CANADA

Submitted to: Society of Plastics Engineers Proceedings
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2002
Publication Date: 12/13/2002
Citation: Orts, W.J., Inglesby, M.K., Glenn, G.M., Wood, D.F., Bailey, D.A., Revol, J. 2002. Polymer nanocomposites from cellulose microfibrils. Society of Plastics Engineers Proceedings. 30:4-6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Most industrially promising nanocomposites have been derived from clay-polymer hybrid materials. This reports discusses the alternative of using cellulose microfibrils as the reinforcing matrix within polymer nanocomposites. Cellulose microfibrils are single-crystal, needle-like fragments isolated from cellulose-rich pulps, ranging in diameter from 3-20nm in length from 50-500nm. At loadings of 2-10%, these particles improve tensile and bending modulii by 10-20 fold, and improve polymer film flexibility. As will be discussed, surface chemistry, such as reaction with malic anhydride, enhances polymer-cellulose miscibility.