PROCESSING, STRUCTURE, AND PROPERTIES OF CELLULOSE BASED NANOCOMPOSITES

Abstract

On account of their abundance, renewable nature, biodegradability, low toxicity, high strength and stiffness, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have emerged as an attractive nanofiller for polymeric materials. Their usually high aspect ratio, which depends on the source and method of extraction, and the large specific surface area are also important features. While on a laboratory scale nanocomposites made with CNCs have demonstrated significant improvement in mechanical properties over the neat polymers, the usefulness of CNCs as reinforcing filler on a commercial scale depends on how the lab scale results can be translated using technologically viable processes. Interestingly, relatively few systematic studies regarding the processing-structure-properties of nanocomposites have been conducted, and the understanding of technologically viable melt-processing methods, which permit upscale in the production of such nanocomposites is still very limited