title: Transparent and high gas barrier films of cellulose nanofibers prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation.
abstract: Softwood and hardwood celluloses were oxidized by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation. The TEMPO-oxidized cellulose fibers were converted to transparent dispersions in water, which consisted of individual nanofibers 3-4 nm in width. Films were then prepared from the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCN) and characterized from various aspects. AFM images showed that the TOCN film surface consisted of randomly assembled cellulose nanofibers. The TOCN films prepared from softwood cellulose were transparent and flexible and had extremely low coefficients of thermal expansion caused by high crystallinity of TOCN. Moreover, oxygen permeability of a polylactic acid (PLA) film drastically decreased to about 1/750 by forming a thin TOCN layer on the PLA film. Hydrophobization of the originally hydrophilic TOCN films was achieved by treatment with alkylketene dimer. These unique characteristics of the TOCN films are promising for potential applications in some high-tech materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Hayaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuzumi
authors.forename: Tsuguyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Tadahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isogai
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002482:Cellulose; C003959:TEMPO