Cellulose offers unique opportunities of interphase formation with polymers and biopolymers. As a high molecular weight polysaccharide, cellulose can adopt a completely crystalline or and amorphous structure, while its three hydroxyl per monomer offer strong hydrogen bonding ability, hydrophilicity and easy chemical functionalization. Here, we analyse how cellulose can be engineered to develop unique interphases with (bio)polymers, and how those enable novel applications such as bioactive paper and nanocellulose composites. Model cellulose surfaces were built to optimize polymer-cellulose interphase characterization using specular neutron/X-ray reflectometry, AFM and synchrotron x-ray scattering. Thin and smooth amorphous and crystalline cellulose films were spin coated on silicone blocks and quartz slides for analysis by reflectometry and SAXS, respectively. Amorphous cellulose films were achieved by spin coating a cellulose acetate/acetone solution and regeneration by sodium methoxide; crystalline films were made by spin coating a 6.5% nanocellulose crystals suspension. In a first series of experiments, Cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) of very high molecular weight (13MW) but varying charge density (5-50%) were adsorbed from solution at the cellulose/D2O interphase and the polymer thickness measured by neutron-reflectometry. In water, amorphous cellulose becomes a hydrogel and swells by adsorbing around 70 % water. While the high molecular weight CPAM studied were secluded to the surface, this opens new opportunities of polymer/cellulose interface. In a second series of experiments, deuterated cellulose films were prepared for contrast optimization of adsorbed biomolecules by neutron reflectometry. Polymer-cellulose interphases are characterized in terms of morphology and composition and related to application. CPAM and PEI are used to retain nanoparticles and biomolecules (cells, antibody, enzyme) on paper. The effect of the cellulose surface on antibody stabilization is also analyzed.

Model cellulose surfaces to characterize (bio)polymer interaction: Designing the interphase

249th National Meeting (2015)

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