title: Holocellulose Nanofibers of High Molar Mass and Small Diameter for High-Strength Nanopaper.
abstract: Wood cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) based on bleached pulp are different from the cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall in terms of larger diameter, lower cellulose molar mass, and modified cellulose topochemistry. Also, CNF isolation often requires high-energy mechanical disintegration. Here, a new type of CNFs is reported based on a mild peracetic acid delignification process for spruce and aspen fibers, followed by low-energy mechanical disintegration. Resulting CNFs are characterized with respect to geometry (AFM, TEM), molar mass (SEC), and polysaccharide composition. Cellulose nanopaper films are prepared by filtration and characterized by UV-vis spectrometry for optical transparency and uniaxial tensile tests. These CNFs are unique in terms of high molar mass and cellulose-hemicellulose core-shell structure. Furthermore, the corresponding nanopaper structures exhibit exceptionally high optical transparency and the highest mechanical properties reported for comparable CNF nanopaper structures.
authors.affiliation: †Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galland
authors.affiliation: †Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.|‡Innventia AB, P.O. Box 5604, SE-114 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berthold
authors.affiliation: †Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kasinee
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prakobna
authors.affiliation: †Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Berglund
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008970:Molecular Weight; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose