Bendable transparent films from cellulose nanocrystals–Study of surface and microstructure-property relationship

Hannah Tideland; Jelka Feldhusen; Amit Kumar Sonker; Gunnar Westman

Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications (Dec 2023)

Bendable transparent films from cellulose nanocrystals–Study of surface and microstructure-property relationship

Hannah Tideland,
Jelka Feldhusen,
Amit Kumar Sonker,
Gunnar Westman

Affiliations

Hannah Tideland: Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
Jelka Feldhusen: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden; Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
Amit Kumar Sonker: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden; Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden; Cellulose films and coatings, Biomaterial Processing and Products, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. Tietotie 4E, Espoo 02150, Finland; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296 Sweden.
Gunnar Westman: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden; Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296 Sweden.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 6
p. 100367

Abstract

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The presented work focuses on preparing transparent bendable films from nanocellulose. In comparison to cellulose nanofibrils and bacterial cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose are shorter and have higher crystallinity (CI -35 mV. In the preparation of films, pre-sonication was key in improving the tensile strength and improved elongation (>30 % increase compared to films prepared without sonication) and hydrophobicity. The change of counter ion, H+ to Na+ or Et4N+, improved the thermal and mechanical properties of CNC films. The films were investigated with UV–Vis spectroscopy and optical polarized spectroscopy to explain the arrangement of nanocellulose crystals in correlation with the mechanical properties. The wettability of CNC samples was also studied and explained in detail. CNC from CelluForce was also studied as commercial reference samples. The modified CNC films have adequate properties for application in flexible electronics, energy storage, and biodegradable smart packaging.

Published in Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications

ISSN: 2666-8939 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry: Biochemistry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/carbohydrate-polymer-technologies-and-applications

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