A Cost-Effective and Environmentally-Friendly Method to Improve Surface Compatibility of Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF) in Hydrophobic Matrix Materials
- Nano Terra, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are strong, light weight, and are fabricated from renewable resources, which make CNF a promising reinforcing filler material for light weight composites. Currently, CNF has two main deficiencies: 1) There are a large number of hydroxyl groups, which produce strong hydrogen bound interactions between CNFs that leads to a gel-like structure with >95% of hydrogen-bounded water when produced. The water removal process costs energy and affects the mechanical properties of the nanomaterials. 2) CNF’s high hydrophilicity limits its uses in composites as they can form agglomerates in hydrophobic matrix materials. These fibers are of particular importance in reducing the weight, and therefore energy consumption, in composite materials used on vehicles. The majority of polymer resins used in automotive composites are hydrophobic and dispersion of CNF in these materials is a barrier to adoption. The overall objective of this program was to develop a process to make CNF compatible with hydrophobic polymers to manufacture light weight composites. In Phase I, Nano Terra has demonstrated feasibility of a cost effective and environmentally friendly surface modification method. The resulting CNF reinforced thermoplastic composites will be competitive on a cost per performance basis with glass fiber and moderate-strength carbon fiber reinforcements for use in high volume transportation equipment. These composites will increase the percentage of renewable materials within these applications, will reduce the overall weight of the composite, and if used in automotive applications, could significantly reduce the amount of CO2 produced by the vehicle.
- Research Organization:
- Nano Terra, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Contributing Organization:
- University of Maine
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0017828
- OSTI ID:
- 1482169
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-NANOT-17828
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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