Processing of Thin Films Based on Cellulose Nanocrystals and Biodegradable Polymers by Space-Confined Solvent Vapor Annealing and Morphological Characteristics
Lacrimioara Senila,
Ioan Botiz,
Cecilia Roman,
Dorina Simedru,
Monica Dan,
Irina Kacso,
Marin Senila,
Otto Todor-Boer
Affiliations
Lacrimioara Senila
Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute for Research and Development of Optoelectronics Bucharest INOE 2000, 67 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ioan Botiz
Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Cecilia Roman
Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute for Research and Development of Optoelectronics Bucharest INOE 2000, 67 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dorina Simedru
Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute for Research and Development of Optoelectronics Bucharest INOE 2000, 67 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Monica Dan
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Irina Kacso
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marin Senila
Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute for Research and Development of Optoelectronics Bucharest INOE 2000, 67 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Otto Todor-Boer
Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute for Research and Development of Optoelectronics Bucharest INOE 2000, 67 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
L-poly(lactic acid), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), and poly-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate are biodegradable polymers that can be obtained from renewable biomass sources. The aim of this study was to develop three types of environmentally friendly film biocomposites of altered microstructure by combining each of the above-mentioned polymers with cellulose nanocrystal fillers and further processing the resulting materials via space-confined solvent vapor annealing. Cellulose was previously obtained from renewable biomass and further converted to cellulose nanocrystals by hydrolysis with the lactic acid. The solutions of biodegradable polymers were spin-coated onto solid substrates before and after the addition of cellulose nanocrystals. The obtained thin film composites were further processed via space-confined solvent vapor annealing to eventually favor their crystallization and, thus, to alter the final microstructure. Indeed, atomic force microscopy studies have revealed that the presence of cellulose nanocrystals within a biodegradable polymer matrix promoted the formation of large crystalline structures exhibiting fractal-, spherulitic- or needle-like morphologies.
