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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Fabrication of a Functionalized Magnetic Bacterial Nanocellulose with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Published on: May 26, 2016
Treatment of Nanocellulose by Submerged Liquid Plasma for Surface Functionalization
Denis Mihaela Panaitescu1, Sorin Vizireanu2, Cristian Andi Nicolae3
1Department of Polymer, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania. panaitescu@icechim.ro.
Abstract:
Tailoring the surface properties of nanocellulose to improve the compatibility of components in polymer nanocomposites is of great interest. In this work, dispersions of nanocellulose in water and acetonitrile were functionalized by submerged plasmas, with the aim of increasing the quality of this reinforcing agent in biopolymer composite materials. Both the morphology and surface chemistry of nanocellulose were influenced by the application of a plasma torch and filamentary jet plasma in a liquid suspension of nanocellulose. Depending on the type of plasma source and gas mixture the surface chemistry was modified by the incorporation of oxygen and nitrogen containing functional groups. The treatment conditions which lead to nanocellulose based polymer nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties were identified. This work provides a new eco-friendly method for the surface functionalization of nanocellulose directly in water suspension, thus overcoming the disadvantages of chemical treatments.
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