title: Compatibility between cellulose and hydrophobic polymer provided by microfibrillated lignocellulose.
abstract: Microfibrillated lignocellulose (MFLC) was produced from wood subjected to partial lignin extraction using an ethanol/water mixture. After homogenization, the average fibril diameter of MFLC was in the same range as conventional microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). Although MFLC exhibited higher wettability with water compared to MFC, AFM adhesion force measurements revealed high variability in surface polarity of MFLC compared to MFC. Specifically, domains of higher polarity than in MFC but also domains of lower polarity than in MFC were observed in MFLC. This tendency towards amphiphilic behavior of MFLC was used to provide enhanced compatibility with polycaprolactone and polystyrene matrices. With both polymers, a significantly more homogeneous distribution of fibrils was achieved using MFLC compared to MFC. In line with better dispersion of the fibrils, significantly more efficient mechanical reinforcement of polymers was obtained using MFLC compared to MFC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Process Engineering, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Science Vienna, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln (Austria). wolfgang.gindl@boku.ac.at.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gindl-Altmutter
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obersriebnig
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veigel
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liebner
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D011137:Polystyrenes; C036909:lignocellulose; C016240:polycaprolactone; D002482:Cellulose; D008031:Lignin; C109691:microcrystalline cellulose
keywords: compatibility; lignin; materials science; microfibrillated cellulose; nanoparticles