Nanofibrillated cellulose production from the bamboo organosolv pulp to nanoreinforcement of the cement based composites

Author(s)

Viviane da Costa Correia

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Pirassununga.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Zootecnica e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZE/BT)
• Defense date: 2015-05-05

Examining board members

Holmer Savastano Júnior; Antônio Aprígio da Silva Curvelo; Khosrow Ghavami; Júlia Baruque Ramos; Conrado de Souza Rodrigues

• Advisor: Holmer Savastano Júnior

Abstract

Low elastic modulus vegetable fibers are known for their ability to increase the energy absorbed by cement based materials while they are loaded, especially during the post-crack stage. The use of cellulose nanofibers may contribute for toughening of brittle matrices and improving particle packing by both pore refining and crack intercepting at nanoscale, with the corresponding energy absorption. Nanofibrillated cellulose comes from a natural, abundant and renewable resources, it has good mechanical peformance and high specific surface, which contributes to improve the adhesion between the cement particles. These factors justify the use of nanofibrillated cellulose and give rise to an alternative nanoreinforcement for cement based materials. Thus, the aim of this work was the production of the nanofibrillated cellulose from bamboo organosolv pulp, establishing the best condition for its production and subsequent use as reinforcement in hybrid composites (both nano and micro-scale reinforcement) compared to composites reinforced with only microfibers (pulp), produced by the slurry vacuum dewatering followed by pressing and extrusion methods. The nanofibrillated cellulose was produced submitting unbleached and bleached pulps to 5, 10, 15 and 20 nanofibrillated cycles by the grinding method. Chemical, physical and mechanical tests were carried out to define the optimal condition to nanofibrillation. The unbleached nanofibrillated cellulose produced by 10 cycles was defined as the best option to be used in hybrid composites, since their greater modulus of elasticity and, because of their greater structural chemical stability, higher resistance to degradation in alkaline environments. The composites were subjected to accelerated carbonation curing process to mitigate thedegradation of fiber by reducing the matrix pH and also to refine the pores. The composites were subjected to accelerated aging process by means of 200 wet and dry cycles to assess their degradation. The hybrid composites and the composites reinforced only with pulp at 28 days and after accelerated aging were subjected to physico-mechanical and microstructural tests to study the effect of the nanofibrillated cellulose on their properties. There was no difference in the physical properties of the hybrid composites and composites reinforced with only pulp, produced by the two processes at 28 days. For the slurry vacuum dewatering followed by pressing process, although useful for adjustments in the formulation and cure hybrid composite, there was no statistically significant contribution of the nanofibrillated cellulose in the formation of stress transfer bridges, and therefore without a corresponding increase in the mechanical strength of the composites. For the extruded composites, the nanofibrillated cellulose improved the mechanical behavior of the hybrid composite compared to the composite without nanofiber. This improvement may be associated with greater adherence between the nanofibrils and the cement matrix, which was confirmed by microstructural analysis (SEM) of the composites. After accelerated aging, the composites with and without nanofibers produced by the two processes showed no reduction in mechanical performance, which is attributed to the lower alkalinity provided by the accelerated carbonation. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/01128-5 - Production of whiskers from the bamboo organosolv pulp and its use as nanoreinforcement of cement based composites.
• Grantee: Viviane da Costa Correia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate