Polymer-Grafted Cellulose Nanofibrils with Enhanced Interfacial Compatibility for Stronger Poly(lactic acid) Composites

Kelly, Peter V.; Shams Es-haghi, Siamak; Lamm, Meghan E.; Copenhaver, Katie; Ozcan, Soydan; Gardner, Douglas J.; Gramlich, William M.

doi:10.1021/acsapm.3c00312

Title: Polymer-Grafted Cellulose Nanofibrils with Enhanced Interfacial Compatibility for Stronger Poly(lactic acid) Composites

Journal Article · 25 April 2023 · ACS Applied Polymer Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.3c00312 · OSTI ID:1997779

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Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are a promising reinforcement for biodegradable composite matrices such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), but they require commercially scalable drying methods that preserve their fibrillar morphology along with improved interfacial interactions with polymer matrices. In this work, a water-based grafting-through polymerization scheme to modify CNFs improved spray drying behavior and reinforcement capacity in PLA composites. All polymer modifications yielded CNFs with a more fibrillar morphology after spray drying, increasing specific surface area by up to 490% compared to unmodified CNFs, values similar to conventional freeze drying. Polymer-grafted CNFs in PLA composites improved the tensile strength by 16% at 20 wt % loading and stiffness by 22% at a 10 wt % loading with two different graft-polymer chemistries compared to unmodified CNF composites. Surface energy heterogeneity measurements of the reinforcements and PLA matrix were employed to understand the improvements in composite properties. Polymer modifications lowered the total surface energy of the CNFs, and calculated ratios of work of adhesion to work of cohesion suggested improved interfacial compatibility for four of the modified CNFs with PLA. Rheological oscillatory shear studies of the composites correlated solid-like melt behavior, as demonstrated by storage moduli dominance, with higher tensile strength. Thermal analysis of the composites revealed that excessive plasticization by the poly(oligoethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate)-grafted sample potentially offset mechanical property improvements imparted by the more fibrillar morphology. This work provides an opportunity for large-scale manufacturing of CNF/PLA composites via an entirely aqueous modification scheme and industrially relevant spray drying process.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1997779

Journal Information:: ACS Applied Polymer Materials, Vol. 5, Issue 5; ISSN 2637-6105

Publisher:: ACS PublicationsCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
cellulose nanofibrils
polymer composites
polymer grafting
poly(lactic acid)
cellulose nanofibers
thermoplastic reinforcement

Title: Polymer-Grafted Cellulose Nanofibrils with Enhanced Interfacial Compatibility for Stronger Poly(lactic acid) Composites

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