Fibers for high performance composites are one of the most important advanced engineering materials produced today. In this respect, cellulose and lignin sourced from renewable and sustainable plant sources have been considered for fivers for composites.  A major challenge has involved the lack of compatibility of lignin and cellulose with a variety of synthetic polymeric materials. Herein, we discuss a new approach for developing extruded filament nanocomposites from blending polyethylene and cellulose nanocrystals using melt extrusion in the presence of a plasticizer without drying or chemical modification of the CNC. The resulting structure of the nanocomposite and thermal, mechanical and physical properties are described. The approach successfully allows for melt extrusion of filament with high CNC loadings.  With regards to using lignin as the matrix material in composites, we have evaluated several chemical modifications to the lignin to make it more thermally stable, have a lower processing temperature and improve compatibility with synthetic polymers. Chemical modifications to the lignin can be used to tune properties so that there are windows in which the lignin can be adequately processed.   Results have shown that a variety of interesting blends of lignin with synthetic and other natural polymers can be produced. <br/>

Extrusion technology for nanocomposite containing renewable lignocellulosic materials

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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