title: Grafting of cellulose fibers with poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(L-lactic acid) via ring-opening polymerization.
abstract: In this study, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilon-CL) and L-lactide (L-LA) has been performed from cellulose fibers. The hydroxyl groups on cellulose act as initiators in the polymerization, and the polymers are covalently bonded to the cellulose fiber. As an attempt to introduce more available hydroxyl groups on the surface, and thereby obtain higher grafting efficiency in the ROP of epsilon-CL and L-LA, unmodified paper was modified with xyloglucan-bis(methylol)-2-methylpropanamide (XG-bis-MPA) and 2,2-bis(methylol)propionic acid (bis-MPA), respectively. The grafted substrates were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy, and enzymatic degradation. The results showed a successful grafting of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) from the cellulose fiber surfaces. Furthermore, the results showed an improved grafting efficiency after activation of the cellulose surface with bis-MPA, and showed that the amount of grafted polymer could be controlled by the ratio of added free initiator to monomer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lönnberg
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brumer
authors.forename: Tuula T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Teeri
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hult
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014867:Water; D014990:Xylans / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D014990:Xylans; D014867:Water; C016240:polycaprolactone; D019344:Lactic Acid; C029353:xyloglucan; C033616:poly(lactide); D002482:Cellulose