Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are desirable in composite materials due to their low cost, bioavailability, light weight and renewability. CNCs form stable colloidal suspensions in water, however their hydrophilic nature often limits their applications, since dispersing CNCs in hydrophobic polymer matrices and organic solvents poses many challenges. In this work, we have used a “grafting-from” method to graft short chain poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers from the surface of cellulose nanocrystals using ceric ammonium nitrate as the initiator in a one step, water-based polymerization. PMMA-grafted-CNCs were characterized using NanoSight nanoparticle tracking analysis, atomic force microscopy, zeta potential, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle, and nuclear magnetic resonance. PMMA-grafted-CNCs were incorporated into bulk PMMA composites using melt mixing and wet ball milling methods and the mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of CNC composites were assessed.

One step polymer grafting of poly(methyl methacrylate) from cellulose nanocrystals for composite applications

249th National Meeting (2015)

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