Hydrophobic, ductile, and transparent nanocellulose films with quaternary alkylammonium carboxylates on nanofibril surfaces.

Hydrophobic, ductile, and transparent nanocellulose films were prepared by casting and drying aqueous dispersions of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) with quaternary alkylammoniums (QAs) as counterions for the surface carboxylate groups. TOCN films with tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium carboxylates showed high optical transparencies, strain-to-failure values (14-22%), and work-of-fracture values (20-27 MJ m(-3)). The ductility of these films was likely caused by the alkyl chains of the QA groups densely covering the TOCN surfaces and being present at the interfaces between the TOCN elements in the films.

Increase in the water contact angle of composite film surfaces caused by the assembly of hydrophilic nanocellulose fibrils and nanoclay platelets.

Controlling the assembly modes of different crystalline nanoparticles in composites is important for the expression of specific characteristics of the assembled structures. We report a unique procedure for increasing water contact angles (CAs) of composite film surfaces via the assembly of two different hydrophilic components, nanocellulose fibrils and nanoclay platelets. The nanocellulose fibrils and nanoclay platelets used have ionic groups on their surfaces in high densities (∼1 mmol g(-1)) and have no hydrophobic surface.

Preparation and characterization of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils with ammonium carboxylate groups.

Fibrous TEMPO-oxidized celluloses with 100% ammonium carboxylate groups (TOC-COONH4) were prepared by adding aqueous ammonia to fibrous TOC-COOH/water slurries. Using a gentle mechanical disintegration treatment in water, the obtained never-dried TOC-COONH4/water slurries could be converted to highly viscous and transparent gels consisting of mostly individualized TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils. The self-standing TOCN-COONH4 film prepared from the aqueous TOCN-COONH4 dispersion via casting and drying had high optical transparency.

Selective permeation of hydrogen gas using cellulose nanofibril film.

Biobased membranes that can selectively permeate hydrogen gas have been developed from aqueous dispersions of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCN) prepared from wood cellulose: TOCN-coated plastic films and self-standing TOCN films. Compared with TOCNs with sodium, lithium, potassium, and cesium carboxylate groups, TOCN with free carboxyl groups (TOCN-COOH) had much high and selective H2 gas permeation performance. Because permeabilities of H2, N2, O2, and CO2 gases through the membranes primarily depended on their kinetic diameters, the gas permeation behavior of the various TOCNs can be explained in terms of a diffusion mechanism.

Influence of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril length on film properties.

Various mechanical disintegration conditions in water were applied to 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose to prepare TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) of uniform widths ∼4 nm but with three different average lengths, 200, 680, and 1100 nm. The viscosity average degrees of polymerization of the TOCNs were 250, 350, and 400, respectively. Self-standing TOCN and TOCN-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films were prepared, and the optical, mechanical and gas-barrier properties of the films were evaluated in terms of nanofibril length.

Ultrastrong and high gas-barrier nanocellulose/clay-layered composites.

Nanocellulose/montmorillonite (MTM) composite films were prepared from 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNs) with an aspect ratio of >200 dispersed in water with MTM nanoplatelets. The composite films were transparent and flexible and showed ultrahigh mechanical and oxygen barrier properties through the nanolayered structures, which were formed by compositing the anionic MTM nanoplatelet filler in anionic and highly crystalline TOCN matrix. A composite film with 5% MTM content had Young's modulus 18 GPa, tensile strength 509 MPa, work of fracture of 25.

Comparative characterization of aqueous dispersions and cast films of different chitin nanowhiskers/nanofibers.

Water dispersions of TEMPO-oxidized α-chitin nanowhisker (TOChN), partially deacetylated α-chitin nanowhisker/nanofiber mixture (DEChN), HCl-hydrolyzed chitin nanowhisker (HHChN) and squid-pen β-chitin nanofiber (SQChN) were prepared, and the properties of nano-dispersions and their cast films were characterized between the four chitin nano-samples. Because SQChN has the highest aspect ratio, its 0.1% dispersion had the highest shear stress and viscosity at the same shear rate in the four chitin nano-samples, and showed gel-like behavior in the whole shear rate range from 10(-3) to 10(3) s(-1).

Pore size determination of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril films by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy.

Wood cellulose nanofibril films with sodium carboxylate groups prepared from a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized pulp exhibited an extremely low oxygen permeability of 0.0008 mL μm m(-2) day(-1) kPa(-1) at 0% relative humidity (RH). Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) was used to determine the pore sizes in wood and tunicate TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (TOCN-COONa) films in a vacuum (i.

Transparent cellulose films with high gas barrier properties fabricated from aqueous alkali/urea solutions.

Transparent and bendable regenerated cellulose films prepared from aqueous alkali (NaOH or LiOH)/urea (AU) solutions exhibit high oxygen barrier properties, which are superior to those of conventional cellophane, poly(vinylidene chloride), and poly(vinyl alcohol). Series of AU cellulose films are prepared from different cellulose sources (cotton linters, microcrystalline cellulose powder, and softwood bleached kraft pulp) for different dissolution and regeneration conditions. The oxygen permeabilities of these AU cellulose films vary widely from 0.

TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers.

Native wood celluloses can be converted to individual nanofibers 3-4 nm wide that are at least several microns in length, i.e. with aspect ratios>100, by TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical)-mediated oxidation and successive mild disintegration in water.

Individualization of nano-sized plant cellulose fibrils by direct surface carboxylation using TEMPO catalyst under neutral conditions.

A new catalytic oxidation using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and NaClO is applied to hardwood cellulose in water at 60 °C and pH 6.8 with NaClO(2) used as a primary oxidant. The oxidized celluloses with carboxylate content of approximately 0.

Transparent and high gas barrier films of cellulose nanofibers prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation.

Softwood and hardwood celluloses were oxidized by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation. The TEMPO-oxidized cellulose fibers were converted to transparent dispersions in water, which consisted of individual nanofibers 3-4 nm in width. Films were then prepared from the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCN) and characterized from various aspects.