Cellulosic fillers and nanocelluloses have been of interest as fillers and reinforcing agents in composites. Incorporation of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) into a polymer matrix is not trivial due to challenges in combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. CNF incorporation into a hydrophobic matrix has typically been addressed by chemical modifications and commonly requires processing steps such as drying or solvent exchange. Contact between the filler and the matrix is essential to avoid formation of weak interfaces that can impair the performance of the composite. Here, we used a mixture of lipophilic and hydrophilic amphiphiles to prepare CNF emulsions with polystyrene and an organic solvent. The favorable interactions between the nanocellulose and polymer phase enabled the production of micro and nanofibers by electrospinning. The surfactant system enabled a high interfacial area between the organic and water phases, which eliminated the need for solvent-exchange or drying of CNF to prepare the spinning dope. Utilization of the surfactant system together with CNFs enables preparation of a precursor system leading to a new, efficient and scalable platform for the preparation of CNF-reinforced polymer composites.

Composite fibers from cellulose nanofibril emulsions

249th National Meeting (2015)

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