This work presents the development of cellulose acetate fibers using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcements. Cellulose acetate (CA) is a nontoxic, biodegradable polymer that was developed as one of the earliest synthetic fibers. The fibers are commonly used in consumer products and filtration; however the low strength properties of the fibers limit their application. In this study, CNCs were successfully integrated into CA fibers.in effort to improve the fibers' tensile strength and modulus.  The effects of surface morphologies, mechanical properties, and alignment of CNCs within the fibers were investigated. The results of the characterizations show significant improvement in the tensile strength and modulus of the cellulose acetate fibers.2D X-ray diffraction was used to quantify the level of orientation of the CNCs within the fibers. The data shows the orientation of the CNCs within the fiber directly affects the mechanical properties of the composite. This information is used to develop a model for the prediction of the fiber mechanical properties as a function of the alignment of the CNC rods.

Effects of crystal orientation on cellulose nanocrystal-cellulose acetate nanocomposite fibers

246th National Meeting (2013)

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