Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are entering the marketplace as potential new ingredients in formulated chemical products. As green and potentially food-grade additives, there is widespread interest in CNC dispersions particularly as rheological modifiers.  In this presentation, we discuss the influence of water-soluble polymers and surfactants on the phase behaviors of dilute CNC dispersions.  Gelation, rheology, polymer adsorption (QCM-D & SPR) and phase behaviors (POM) were determined as functions of nonionic polymer type, concentration and the presence of surfactants.Soluble nonionic polymers that adsorbed onto the cellulose particles increased the effective volume fractions of the particles, lowering the CNC concentration at the isotropic/isotropic + nematic boundary.  Dextran, a non-adsorbing polymer only showed weak depletion effects at high concentrations.  SDS and Triton� X-100 interfered with polymer binding to CNC, changing the phase behaviors whereas cationic CTAB had little influence.  These results highlight the complications around including CNC in formulated aqueous products.

Controling cellulose nanocrystal suspension gelation with polymers and surfactants

247th National Meeting (2014)

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