Model surfaces have become a critical tool for studying cellulose interactions, with numerous studies investigating swelling, polymer and surfactant adsorption, and enzyme activity amongst others. While, these works have provided excellent insight into the behaviour at the cellulose surfaces, little attention has been paid to the conditions in which these model surfaces are prepared. In this work, we examine how structure, drying, surface charge, and the presence of pre-adsorbed adhesion layers impact layer-by-layer adsorption of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. Preparing surfaces with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and regenerated cellulose we use quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and stagnation point adsorption reflectometry (SPAR) to build a more detailed understanding of swelling, dewatering and adsorption. This work provides new insight into how the structure and hornifcation of cellulose surfaces, play an important role in the early stages of cationic polymer adsorption and will aid in the further development and use of our natural resources.

Are all model cellulose surfaces equal? Exploring how drying, structure and cellulose source impact polymer adsorption.

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.