Controlling the interactions of nanocellulose with molecules and polymers is key to a more structured approach to developing materials with tailored properties and selective and efficient sensors. We thus started to look into the interaction of nanocellulose with natural polymers such as proteins and hemicellulose. Protein cellulose interaction studies will help us to understand the driving force and requirements for interaction with a view on biosensors and more effective enzyme-catalysis. Studying cellulose-hemicellulose interactions on the other hand may prove very helpful in designing moisture-insensitive natural fiber materials and high performance all renewable material nanocomposites. For our studies, we used unmodified and TEMPO oxidized cellulose nanocrystals as well as nanocrystals modified with positively charged pyridinium groups with varying level of surface charge. Isothermal titration calorimetric measurements showed that most interaction are entropically driven rather than enthalpically, with binding the result of the collapse of an ordered water molecule structure around the dispersed nanocellulose and the dissolved polymers. These findings indicate that our thinking of nanocellulose-polymer interactions in the presence of water is governed by the water molecules, and to a much lesser extent or even not by preferential interactions between nanocellulose and polymers. The details of the work will be presented as well as consequences of these findings.

Investigation of the thermodynamics of the interaction of (modified) cellulose nanocrystals with natural polymers

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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