Chemical modifications of cellulose nanowhiskers

• Grant number: 15/00094-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso
• Grantee: Raja Sebastian
• Home Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/22017-3 - Near - infrared (NIR) cellulose nanocrystals (NIR - CNC) for cellular bioimaging, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Cellulose, one of the world's most abundant, natural and renewable biopolymer resources, is widely present in various fibrous crops species and agroindustrial waste. Cellulose in the form of nanocrystals commonly reported as whisker or cellulose nanofiber. The structure of nanocellulose is highly crystalline and exploiting their properties as reinforcement. Recently, cellulose nanowhiskers have demonstrated the possibility of obtaining a raw material of renewable origin with potential applications as paper and paperboard manufacture, low calorie replacement in food industry, hygiene and absorbent products, oil recovery, etc. Cellulose nanowhiskers can be used as reinforcing fillers with low levels added to the polymer matrix and with the possibility of achieving properties similar to those of engineering polymers. Cellulose nanowhiskers are a hydrophilic material due to the large amount of hydroxyl groups of cellulose which are hindering the interfacial adhesion between matrix and load due to the more hydrophobic character of polymers for the application of nanocomposite materials. However, surface modification on the load would be the promising strategy in order to increase the adhesion between the polymer matrix and the reinforcing filler. Therefore, this proposal demonstrates surface functionalization of cellulose nanowhiskers, evaluating new methods that alter the chemical nature of the surface and simultaneously preserve the crystalline structure of this material. Resulting materials might have potential application as nanocomposite material with greater adhesion between matrix and load in addition to expanding the use of cellulose derivatives. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FERREIRA, F. C.; BABU, R. SURESH; DE BARROS, A. L. F.; RAJA, S.; DA CONCEICAO, L. R. B.; MATTOSO, L. H. C. Photoelectric performance evaluation of DSSCs using the dye extracted from different color petals of Leucanthemum vulgare flowers as novel sensitizers. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY, v. 233, JUN 5 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.