Synthesis and Fabrication of Nanocomposite Fibers of Collagen-Cellulose Nanocrystals by Coelectrocompaction.
An electrochemical process has been used to compact cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and access aligned micron-sized CNC fibers. Placing a current across aqueous solutions of carboxylic acid functionalized CNCs (t-CNC-COOH) or carboxylic acid/primary amine functionalized CNCs (t-CNC-COOH-NH2) creates a pH gradient between the electrodes, which results in the migration and concentration of the CNC fibers at their isoelectric point. By matching the carboxylic acid/amine ratio of CNCs and collagen (ca. 30:70 carboxylic acid:amine ratio), it is possible to coelectrocompact both nanofibers and access aligned nanocomposite fibers. t-CNC-COOH-NH2/collagen fibers showed a maximum increase in mechanical properties at 5 wt % of t-CNC-COOH-NH2. Compared to collagen/CNC films which have no alignment in the plane of the films, the tensile properties of the aligned fibers show a significant enhancement in the wet mechanical properties (40 MPa vs 230 MPa) for the 5 wt % of t-CNC-COOH-NH2/collagen films and fiber, respectively.
Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Elvis
E
Cudjoe
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Mousa
M
Younesi
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Edward
E
Cudjoe
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.
Ozan
O
Akkus
Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.|Institute for Molecular Engineering and Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago , 5640 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.
Stuart J
0000-0001-8176-0594
SJ
Rowan
D002482:Cellulose / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003094:Collagen / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D002482:Cellulose; D003094:Collagen