title: Green process for chemical functionalization of nanocellulose with carboxylic acids.
abstract: An environmentally friendly and simple method, named SolReact, has been developed for a solvent-free esterification of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) surface by using two nontoxic carboxylic acids (CA), phenylacetic acid and hydrocinnamic acid. In this process, the carboxylic acids do not only act as grafting agent, but also as solvent media above their melting point. Key is the in situ solvent exchange by water evaporation driving the esterification reaction without drying the CNC. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses showed no significant change in the CNC dimensions and crystallinity index after this green process. The presence of the grafted carboxylic was characterized by analysis of the "bulk" CNC with elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and (13)C NMR. The ability to tune the surface properties of grafted nanocrystals (CNC-g-CA) was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The hydrophobicity behavior of the functionalized CNC was studied through the water contact-angle measurements and vapor adsorption. The functionalization of these bionanoparticles may offer applications in composite manufacturing, where these nanoparticles have limited dispersibility in hydrophobic polymer matrices and as nanoadsorbers due to the presence of phenolic groups attached on the surface.
authors.affiliation: University of Grenoble Alpes, LGP2, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Etzael
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Espino-Pérez
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Domenek
authors.forename: Naceur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Belgacem
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sillard
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bras
mesh_terms: D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D004951:Esterification; D055772:Green Chemistry Technology; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D011108:Polymers; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water; D002482:Cellulose