Issue 24, 2015

Online determination of anisotropy during cellulose nanofibril assembly in a flow focusing device

Abstract

In order to utilize the high strength (ultimate tensile strength = 3 GPa) [Saito et al., Biomacromolecules, 2012, 14, 248] and stiffness (Young's modulus = 130 GPa) [Sakurada et al., J. Polym. Sci., 1962, 57, 651] of cellulose nanofibrils in a macroscopic material or composite, the structure of the elongated fibrils in the material must be controlled. Here, cellulose nanofibrils in a dispersed state are partly aligned in a flow focusing device, whereafter the anisotropic nano-structure is locked by a dispersion–gel transition. The alignment process has been studied by Håkansson et al., [Nat. Commun., 2014, 5, 4018], however, the location of the phase transition as well as at which alignment (anisotropy) the fibrils were locked was not investigated. In this study, the degree of alignment is determined with small angle X-ray scattering experiments and the location of the phase change is measured with polarized light experiments. Furthermore, the anisotropy of the hydrogel thread is determined and the thread is seen to still be anisotropic after six months in a water bath.

Graphical abstract: Online determination of anisotropy during cellulose nanofibril assembly in a flow focusing device

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Oct 2014
Accepted
06 Feb 2015
First published
06 Feb 2015

RSC Adv., 2015,5, 18601-18608

Author version available

Online determination of anisotropy during cellulose nanofibril assembly in a flow focusing device

K. M. O. Håkansson, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 18601 DOI: 10.1039/C4RA12285B

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