Ionic liquids (IL) offer a new route for processing lignocellulosics into materials with tailored properties. ILs are composed of molten salts that are liquid at ambient temperatures and they are often referred to as �green� solvents due to their low vapor pressure and chemical stability. In order to design novel materials with tailored properties a fundamental understanding of the regeneration process and the created materials is necessary. In this study we investigated the mechanical properties of cellulose and arabinoglucornoxylan (AGX) blend films regenerated from 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimAc) as a function of the film composition and the absorbed moisture.  We report of cellulose and AGX blend films made from wood polymers extracted from one and the same Norway spruce tree. The films were transparent with a smooth surface, fully amorphous, free from EmimAc residues and retained there macro morphology in water. The plasticizing effect of water on the films was evidenced by both the tensile analysis and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) with humidity scans. The equilibrium moisture content was measured at different relative humidities and the proportional water uptake was clearly related to the mechanical properties. We found good mechanical properties independent of the polysaccharide composition.  With some variation in the absolute values, the pattern of the plasticizing effect of water on the films mechanical properties seems independent of the film composition. The Young's modulus, maximum stress and storage modulus all decrease with increasing humidity while the elongation to break increased.

Mechanical evaluation of regenerated cellulose and hemicellulose blend films from ionic liquid

247th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.