Submicron hierarchy of cellulose nanofibril films with etherified hemicelluloses
Journal article, 2017

The lack of simple differentiation of all-polysaccharide-film components in nanoscale hinders unveiling their structure-property dependency. Submicron hierarchy of films of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and carbohydrate-based additives was revealed via visualization of the components by their differentiating adhesion to an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) tip. The differentiation of the film components revealed that distribution of hydroxypropylated hemicellulose in the CNF matrix could be tuned by addition of a plasticizer. The hemicellulose hydroxypropylation degree of substitution (DS) was detected to be another parameter affecting the film structure due to the water-solubility depending on the DS. This was further verified via Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D). The translucent, self-standing films comprising CNFs, sorbitol and hydroxypropylated hemicellulose were tested for mechanical, optical and oxygen diffusion performance. The performance was linked to their structural evenness, which confirmed that the oxygen diffusion through the film is tremendously affected by the film nano hierarchy.

Hydroxypropylated hemicellulose

Hemicellulose ethers

Adhesion force mapping

Cellulose nanofibrils

Polysaccharide films

Structure-property relationship

Author

Tiina Nypelö

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

C. Laine

Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)

J. Colson

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

U. Henniges

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

T. Tammelin

Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)

Carbohydrate Polymers

0144-8617 (ISSN)

Vol. 177 126-134

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Polymer Technologies

Materials Chemistry

DOI

10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.08.086

More information

Latest update

11/16/2021