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Thermoformable and transparent one-component nanocomposites based on surface grafted cellulose nanofiber
Sikai Chen1, Dong Li1, Fei Song1
1Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Friendly and Fire-Safety Polymeric Materials (MoE), State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, National Engineering Laboratory of Eco-Friendly Polymeric Materials (Sichuan), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
Researchers developed advanced one-component nanocomposites using cellulose nanofiber (CNF) grafted with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS). These materials show enhanced optical, thermal, and mechanical properties, crucial for high-performance applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) offer a sustainable platform for advanced composite materials.
- Grafting polymers onto CNF can significantly modify material properties.
- Achieving high graft percentages is key to unlocking enhanced performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate one-component nanocomposites using PMMA and PS grafted CNF.
- To investigate the impact of high polymer graft percentages on material properties.
- To compare the performance of one-component nanocomposites with bicomponent systems.
Main Methods:
- Surface-initiated Cu(0)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) to graft MMA and styrene onto CNF.
- Fabrication of one-component composite films via hot-pressing.
- Characterization of optical transparency, thermal stability, glass transition temperature, and mechanical properties.
Main Results:
- Achieved high graft percentages: 7550% for PMMA and 3530% for PS on CNF.
- One-component nanocomposites exhibited enhanced optical transparency, thermal stability, and glass transition temperature.
- Mechanical tests showed increased break elongation and tensile strength with higher graft percentages.
Conclusions:
- High graft chain length is essential for achieving moderated mechanical performance in glassy graft chain nanocomposites.
- The developed one-component nanocomposites offer a promising balance of properties without compromising optical or thermal manufacturing abilities.
- This study provides a pathway for designing high-performance polymer-nanofiber composites.
