Thermosetting Matrices and CNR-Based Systems

Few examples of nanocomposites in which the cellulosic nanostructure is used in biobased thermosets can be also foimd. Due to the fact that these environment friendly composites suffer from several limitations, such as low mechanical properties due to low strength in reinforcement plus inadequate interfacial strength, and that cellulose nanostructures have been shown to have significant potential as a reinforcement, the possibility of using cellulose nanofibers as reinforcements in a bio-derived resin was revised. In Masoodi et al. [200], cellulose nanofibers were used as reinforcements in the forms of layered films, while in Lee et al. [201] the stability of the gas-soybean oil foam templates and the mechanical properties of the polymer nanocomposite foams are enhanced upon the addition of bacterial cellulose nanofibrils. Other examples of biobased thermosets containing cellulosic nanoreinforcements are the work of Shibata [202] in which the use of a biobased epoxy was revised, and systems in which cellulose nanocrystals are incorporated in biobased polyurethanes [203,204], Few examples exist also in the literature on the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol in presence of CNR [205,206] in these papers, the authors established the feasibility of producing furfuryl 

Krassig, Cellulose Structure, accessibility and reactivity, polymer monographs. Volume 11, pp. 376, Gordon and Breach Science Pubhshers, Yverdon. (1993). 

Battista, Microcrystalline Polymer science, pp. 208, McGraw-Hill, New York. (1975). 

Wesarg, F. Schlott, J. Grabow, H.-D. Kurland, N. HeBler, D. Kralisch, cuid F. A. Muller. 

Kramer, S. Moritz, T. Lindstr, M. Ankerfors, D. Gray, cuid A. Dorris. Angew. 

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