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Updated: Aug 31, 2025

Highly Stable, Functional Hairy Nanoparticles and Biopolymers from Wood Fibers: Towards Sustainable Nanotechnology
Published on: July 20, 2016
Cellulose nanocrystals modification by grafting from ring opening polymerization of a cyclic carbonate
Michael Lalanne-Tisné1, Samuel Eyley2, Julien De Winter3
1Sustainable Materials Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, campus Kulak Kortrijk, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, box 7659, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium; Université de Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 UCCS-Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille, France.
Abstract:
Surface modification of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) by organocatalysed grafting from ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate was investigated. Organocatalysts including an amidine (DBU), a guanidine (TBD), an amino-pyridine (DMAP) and a phosphazene (BEMP) were successfully assessed for this purpose, with performances in the order TBD > BEMP > DMAP, DBU. The grafting ratio can be tuned by varying the experimental parameters, with the highest grafting of 74 % by weight obtained under mild conditions, i.e at room temperature in tetrahydrofuran with a low amount of catalyst. This value is much higher than that of typical ring opening polymerizations of cyclic esters initiated from the surface of cellulose nanoparticles. Additionally, DSC analysis of the modified material revealed the presence of a glass transition temperature, indicative of a sufficient graft length to display polymeric behaviour. This is, to our knowledge, the first example of cellulose nanocrystals grafted with polycarbonate chains.
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