Cellulose-polymer composites coupling reactions

Among various chemical treatments, alkali treatment with NaOH solution is often chosen to modify cellulose-based materials. Since NaOH reacts with -OH groups of cellulose and reduces hydrophilicity and impurities from cellulose fiber, it improves the compatibility between the cellulose and the polymer matrix. Consequently, significant improvement in the mechanical and morphological properties of composite such as MOE, MOR, compressive modulus, SEM morphology and XRD pattern are observed for the alkali-treated composite materials. Benzene diazonium salt is also an important chemical, which reacts with cellulose in fiber and produces 2,6-diazo cellulose by a coupling reaction. 

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