Cellulose fiber nanocomposites

China. See also People s Republic of China acrylic fiber production in, 11.T89, 220 adhesive joint ventures, 1 526 advanced materials research, 1 696 aquaculture history, 3 183 aquaculture production, 3 189t ascorbic acid synthesis in, 25 754 demand for oil in, 23 530 nanocomposite development, 1 717 natural graphite in, 12 780 oil recovery program in, 23 534 olefin fiber production in, 11 243 production and consumption of regenerated cellulose fibers in,... 

An interesting nanocomposite was formed from natural cellulose fibers incorporated with sucrose (Fahmy et ah, 2006). These authors used cotton linters and a key finding was that sucrose could be incorporated into the micropores of mercerized fibers that had not been previously dried. This allowed stronger fibers to be prepared. Although this example is not from the food industry, the finding that sucrose incorporation in nondried fiber preserves the nanostructure may have implications for improving the properties of cellulose used in food applications. 

Fahmy, T. Y. A., Mobarak, F., Fahmy, Y., Fadl, M. FI., and El-Sakhawy, M. (2006). Nanocomposites from natural cellulose fibers incorporated with sucrose. Wood Sci. Technol. 40,77-86. 

In this chapter we have reviewed some of the most important characteristics of cellulose and cellulose based blends, composites and nanocomposites. The intrinsic properties of cellulose such as its remarkable mechanical properties have promoted its use as a reinforcement material for different composites. It has been showed that cellulose is a material with a defined hierarchy that tends to form fibrillar elements such as elementary fibrils, micro fibrils, and macro fibers. Physical and chemical processes allow us to obtain different scale cellulose reinforcements. Macro fibers, such as lignocellulosic fibers of sisal, jute, cabuya, etc. are used for the production of composites, whereas nano-sized fibers, such as whiskers or bacterial cellulose fibers are used to produce nanocomposites. Given that cellulose can be used to obtain macro- and nano-reinforcements, it can be used as raw material for the production of several composites and nanocomposites with many different applications. The understanding of the characteristics and properties of cellulose is important for the development of novel composites and nanocomposites with new applications. 

Fibers have been widely used in polymeric composites to improve mechanical properties. Cellulose is the major substance obtained from vegetable fibers, and applications for cellulose fiber-reinforced polymers have again come to the forefront with the focus on renewable raw materials. Hydrophilic cellulose fibers are very compatible with most natural polymers. The reinforcement of starch with ceUulose fibers is a perfect example of a polymer from renewable recourses (PFRR). The reinforcement of polymers using rigid fillers is another common method in the production and processing of polymeric composites. The interest in new nanoscale fillers has rapidly grown in the last two decades, since it was discovered that a nanostructure could be built from a polymer and layered nanoclay. This new nanocomposite showed dramatic improvement in mechanical properties with low filler content. Various starch-based nano-composites have been developed. 

The objective of this work was to use rice straw pulp cellulose fiber to prepare environmental-friendly rice straw fibril and fibril aggregates (RSF) and evaluate the fibril and fibril aggregates as a novel reinforcing material to compound polypropylene (PP)/ RSF nanocomposite. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), laser diameter instrument (LDl) were used to evaluate the characteristics of RSF. The RSF/PP nanocomposite was prepared by novel extrusion process. The interface compatibility and tensile properties of nanocomposite were investigated by FTIR and tensile test, respectively. 

Figure 12 is the tensile strength of RSF/PP nanocomposite with different ultrasonication treat time RSF as the filler. For the ultrasonication treatment, the rice straw cellulose fiber content was 0.5% and 1%, respectively. As seen in this figure, the tensile strength increased distinctly (R2=0.70 and R2=0.96) with increasing ultrasonication treat time. The tensile strength of 0.5% rice straw cellulose fiber content was lower than 1% rice straw cellulose fiber content at different ultrasonication treat time. 

Njuguna J, Wambua P, Piehchowski K, Kayvantash K. Natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites and nanocomposites for automotive applications, cellulose fibers bio- and nano-polymer composites. In Kaha S, Kaith BS, Kaur 1, editors. Cellulose fibres bio- and nano-polymer composites. Berlin, Heidelberg Springer 2011. 

Berglund L (2005) Cellulose-based nanocomposites. In Mohanty AK, Misra M, Drzal LT (eds) Natural fibers, biopolymers, and biocomposites. CRC, Boca Raton, FL, pp 819-842... 

Cellulosic Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites... 

Neat PLA, PLA/cellulose fiber composites (10-30 wt%), and PLA/carbon nanotube nanocomposites were successfully foamed in a microcellular injection molding process using nitrogen gas [3, 76]. All foamed samples exhibited a sandwich-type structure, with solid walls encapsulating a foamed... 

New Nanocomposite Materials Based on Cellulose Fibers and Other Biopolymers... 

Fahmy, T. Y. A. and Mobaiak, F. (2008). Nanocomposites fiom natural cellulose fibers filled with kaolin in presence of sucrose. Carbohydrate Polymers 72,751755. 

---