Linear Birefringent Films of Cellulose Nanocrystals Produced by Dip-Coating
Arturo Mendoza-Galván1,2, Tania Tejeda-Galán3, Amos B Domínguez-Gómez4
1Cinvestav-Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, 76230 Querétaro, Mexico. amendoza@cinvestav.mx.
Abstract:
Transparent films of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are prepared by dip-coating on glass substrates from aqueous suspensions of hydrolyzed filter paper. Dragging forces acting during films' deposition promote a preferential alignment of the rod-shaped CNC. Films that are 2.8 and 6.0 µm in thickness show retardance effects, as evidenced by placing them between a linearly polarized light source and a linear polarizer sheet in the extinction configuration. Transmission Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements at normal incidence as a function of sample rotation were used to characterize polarization properties. A differential decomposition of the Mueller matrix reveals linear birefringence as the unique polarization parameter. These results show a promising way for obtaining CNC birefringent films by a simple and controllable method.
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