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Highly filled bionanocomposites from functionalized polysaccharide nanocrystals.
Youssef Habibi1, Alain Dufresne
1Ecole Française de Papeterie et des Industries Graphiques, Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble, 38402 Saint Martin d'Hères Cedex, France.
Biomacromolecules
|May 31, 2008
Summary
Grafting polycaprolactone (PCL) onto cellulose and starch nanocrystals enhances their performance in polymer composites. This modification improves the flexibility of nanocomposite films, showcasing a novel reinforcement mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Polysaccharide nanocrystals, derived from cellulose and starch, are promising bio-based reinforcing agents.
- Surface modification of these nanocrystals is crucial for improving their compatibility with polymer matrices.
- Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polyester with tunable properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To graft polycaprolactone (PCL) chains onto cellulose and starch nanocrystals.
- To investigate the effect of PCL grafting on the properties of polysaccharide nanocrystals.
- To evaluate the performance of PCL-grafted nanocrystals as reinforcing agents in PCL nanocomposite films.
Main Methods:
- Acid hydrolysis of ramie fibers and waxy maize starch to obtain nanocrystals.
- Isocyanate-mediated reaction for grafting PCL chains of varying molecular weights onto nanocrystal surfaces.
- Characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and contact angle measurements.
- Fabrication of nanocomposite films via casting/evaporation technique.
Main Results:
- PCL grafting did not alter the morphological integrity or native crystallinity of the nanocrystals.
- Nanocomposite films containing PCL-grafted nanocrystals exhibited lower modulus but significantly higher strain at break compared to those with unmodified nanocrystals.
- The enhanced ductility is attributed to the formation of a percolating network via chain entanglements and cocrystallization.
Conclusions:
- Surface grafting of PCL onto polysaccharide nanocrystals is an effective strategy for tailoring their properties.
- PCL-grafted nanocrystals act as effective reinforcing agents, improving the mechanical properties, particularly ductility, of PCL nanocomposites.
- The study highlights a novel reinforcement mechanism in polysaccharide nanocrystal-polymer systems.
