Kenaf cellulose whiskers

Effect of Kenaf Cellulose Whiskers on Cellulose Acetate Butyrate Nanocomposites Properties... 

Since the early 2000s, plant-derived biobased fibrous fillers have been frequently used for the reinforcement of PLA-based materials. A well known and frequently used plant-derived fibrous filler is kenaf. Like the case of pollen as an additive, the wettability between PLLA and kenaf should be improved by the addition of a compatibilizer. Other fibrous materials are cellulose fibrous materials or fibres [383,384], cellulose whiskers [385], recycled cellulose fibre [386], cotton fibre [387], sugar beet pulp [388], flax [389], bamboo fibre [390], kenaf [391-393], papyrus [394], hemp fibre [395], cuphea and lesquerella [396], ramie [397], rice straw fibre [398], red algae fibre [399], miscanthus fibre [400], abaca fibre [401], milkweed [402], wood fibre [403] and recycled newspaper fibre [404], Poly(L-lactic acid) fibre can also be used to reinforce soft plastics such as PCL [405],... 

The aim of this study was extraction of cellulose from kenaf fiber which is available in Malaysia and preparation of nanocellulose whiskers from extracted cellulose in controlled hydrolysis condition. Chemical composition, size of particles, morphology, crystallinity, and thermal analysis of cellulose whiskers were investigated. 

Numerous studies have investigated the effect of cellulose whiskers on nanocomposite. Based on our knowledge no information has been reported on CAB/Kenaf whiskers nanocomposite properties. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to characterize the properties of kenaf whlskers/CAB nanocomposite. The influence of different whiskers loading percentages on chemical, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties wereinvestigated. 

Figure 3. (a) FTIR spectra of raw kenaf fibre, (b) Alkali treated fiber, Bleached fiber (c), and cellulose nano whiskers (d). 

Figure S. TEM image of cellulose nano whiskers kenaf fiber.

Keywords Kenaf whiskers, cellulose acetate butyrate, chemical properties, thermal properties, nanocomposites... 

Based on this consideration, kenaf has potential as raw material to produce cellulose nanofibers [2] or whiskers. 

A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study was obtained by using Perkin-Elmer spectrometer 100, USA. Prior to this analysis, kenaf whiskers were mixed with KBr to prepare homogeneous suspensions and afterwards pressed into transparent pellets and analyzed in transmittance mode within the range of 4000-500 cm. In the case of thin nanocomposite film (Cellulose Acetate Butyrate [CAB] and kenaf whiskers) the analysis was done within the range of 4000-500 cm transmittance mode. 

The main objective of this study was to evaluate chemical, thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of the resulted nanocomposite from kenaf and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB). Whiskers-matrix compatibility was evaluated by all of the characterizations to see the interaction between whiskers and matrix. Based on the findings, FTIR analysis showed no intermolecular hydrogen bonding between CAB and whiskers. Thermal analysis foxmd that whiskers reinforcement did not affect the decomposition temperature of resulted nanocomposite. However, good miscibility was detected... 

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