title: Preparation and properties of aligned poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/cellulose nanowhiskers composites.
abstract: In this study a unidirectionally aligned cellulose nanowhisker (CNW) composite was developed. CNW in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) matrix was aligned using an external electric field and the morphology and mechanical properties of the resultant anisotropic composites were studied. PHBV films with 1.5-7 wt% of CNWs were manufactured using solution casting. A DC electric field of 56.25 kV/m was applied during solvent evaporation. Both microstructural and mechanical analyses were performed to study the orientation of CNWs in the films. Mechanical properties of the samples were tested at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45° and 90° with respect to electric field direction by a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). DMA results showed that CNW concentration has a strong influence on the degree of CNW alignment. The electric field was effective in aligning CNWs up to 4 wt% CNW concentration. The samples with higher concentrations showed virtually isotropic behavior, due to significantly enhanced restraints on CNW mobility. The restrains were attributed to CNW/CNW and CNW/polymer interactions. Rheological results confirmed the enhance restraints.
authors.affiliation: Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-1806, United States.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ten
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wolcott
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D002482:Cellulose / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods; D013718:Tensile Strength; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; D011091:Polyesters; C052620:poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-hydroxyvalerate); D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates