Cellulose based fibers offer a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to the conventional glass fibers. Micron scale (diameter of 20-50 um) natural fibers have long been studied for potential applications in several fields, for ex automotive industries. In the past decade, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), obtained from plant fibers have been in the lime light due to their high inherent mechanical properties. CNFs also offer several advantages in terms of optical properties, their ability to form network etc. Resin infusion is a common strategy to prepare fiber based composites, and it can be extended to prepare nanocomposites as well. Composites in this work are prepared using a similar approach where a conventional papermaking process is combined with monomer impregnation followed by curing to obtain the composites. Pulp fibers as well cellulose nanofibers obtained by enzymatic pretreatment of pulp fibers have been studied as reinforcement. It is observed that this strategy can be an effective way to prepare composites with high volume fraction of well dispersed nanofibers. The composites are characterized with respect to their mechanical properties and the marcroscopic properties are related to their nanostructure and morphology. The results are interpreted in terms of the differences in deformation behavior arising out of the fiber/CNF distribution in the matrix, which in turn is characterized by high resolution microscopy. The role of matrix/fiber interface and specific effects (on the chemistry of curing) from the high surface area of well dispersed cellulose nanofibrils is discussed. It is concluded that elastic deformation characteristics of the composites prepared is remarkably similar provided that the hierarchial structure inside the fiber wall is preserved.

Cellulose fibers reinforced thermoset composites – micro vs nano

251st National Meeting (2016)

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