title: Surface esterification of cellulose fibers: characterization by DRIFT and contact angle measurements.
abstract: The surface chemical modification of microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose fibers obtained from different sugar cane bagasse pulping processes, viz. Kraft, organosolv ethanol/water and organosolv/supercritical carbon dioxide, were studied in heterogeneous conditions using modest amounts of octadecanoyl and dodecanoyl chloride. The ensuing surfaces acquired a non-polar character, suitable for incorporating these fibers as reinforcing agents in composite materials based on polymeric matrices. The success of these chemical modifications was assessed by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle measurements. In particular, the dynamic and equilibrium contact angle measurements, before and after the treatments, revealed that the value of the polar component (gamma(s)p) of the surface energy had decreased very considerably following the modification.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, C.P. 780, 13560-970 São Carlos, S.P., Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pasquini
authors.forename: Mohamed Naceur
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Belgacem
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Antonio Aprigio da Silva
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Curvelo
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004951:Esterification; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: C020253:cellulose ester plastic; D002482:Cellulose