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Polymers
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Recent Advances in Cellulose-Polymer Composites
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Recent Advances in Cellulose-Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 June 2023) | Viewed by 9716

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yadong Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food and Pharmacy, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, China
Interests: cellulose; nanocellulose; biocomposites; chemical modification
Dr. Olena Sevastyanova

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: carbohydrate chemistry; cellulosic materials; polymer chemistry; bio-based composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Eric Thompson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. CSO, Ocean TuniCell AS, Bergen, Norway
2. Professor at Department of Biological Sciences (BIO), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Interests: cellulose biosynthesis; cellulose-based biomaterials; tissue engineering; molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the negative impacts of the petroleum-based synthetic polymers on environment and human health, the academic community has put numerous efforts to find alternative bio-based materials over last decade. As the most abundant natural polymers on the earth, cellulose with unique superiority of renewability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, broad chemical-modifying capacity and appreciable mechanical strength is well recognized as one of such promising materials. Recently, several research groups have conducted intensive studies on the preparation, functionalization, characterization and application of cellulose-polymer composites with improved properties resulting from the synergetic effects between polymer matrix and cellulose. 

We are pleased to invite you to contribute your expertise knowledge in this field. All noval and timely works relevant to composites including cellulose and cellulose-derived nanoparticles from different sources, such as crops, wood, bacteria and even animals (tunicate), are warmly welcome. The cellulose could be incorporated into both natural and synthetic polymer matrices, and the prepared composites should possess the improved properties, including but not limited to increasing mechanical properties, enhancing dimensional stability, providing new and interesting characteristics, rendering high performances. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide cutting edge knowledge and technologies regarding the processing-structure-property perspectives in cellulose polymer composites. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: 

  1. Chemistry, biochemistry, physics and materials science of cellulose and cellulose derivatives from various sources, and their uses in composites.
  2. Particle morphology, crystal structure, mechanical properties and chemical functionalities of cellulose nanoparticles prepared by new methods and their applications in cellulose-polymer composites preparation.
  3. The behavior of cellulose, cellulose particles and their derivatives in the cellulose-polymer composites and their contributions to the performance of the resultant composites.
  4. The methodology of cellulose polymer composite (film, membrane, hydrogel, aerogel, foam, paper, yarn etc.) processing and resulting properties, with an emphasis on interactions between polymer matrix and cellulose.
  5. Other researches focusing any aspect of fabrication, modification, characterization and application of cellulose-polymer composites. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Yadong Zhao
Dr. Olena Sevastyanova
Prof. Dr. Eric Thompson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • composites
  • cellulose
  • cellulose derivatives
  • nanoparticles
  • bio-based materials
  • processing technology
  • structure-property relation
  • interaction
  • applications

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3266 KiB  
Article
Using Cellulose-graft-Poly(L-lactide) Copolymers as Effective Compatibilizers for the Preparation of Cellulose/Poly(L-lactide) Composites with Enhanced Interfacial Compatibility
by Fei Liu, Shan Lu, Weihong Cao, Juncheng Huang, Yi Sun, Yiting Xu, Meiling Chen, Haining Na and Jin Zhu
Polymers 2022, 14(17), 3449; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14173449 - 24 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1798
Abstract
Cellulose-grafte-poly(L-lactide) (C-g-PLLA) copolymers synthesized in a CO2-switchable solvent are proposed for use as effective compatibilizers for the preparation of cellulose–PLLA composites with enhanced interfacial compatibility. The effect of the molar substitution (MSPLLA) of the [...] Read more.
Cellulose-grafte-poly(L-lactide) (C-g-PLLA) copolymers synthesized in a CO2-switchable solvent are proposed for use as effective compatibilizers for the preparation of cellulose–PLLA composites with enhanced interfacial compatibility. The effect of the molar substitution (MSPLLA) of the grafted PLLA side chain in the C-g-PLLA copolymer and the feeding amount of this copolymer on the mechanical and thermal properties and hydrophilicity of the composites was investigated. The composites had a largely increased impact strength with the incorporation of the compatibilizer. With the increasing of MSPLLA and the feeding amount of the copolymer, the resulting composites had an increased impact strength. When 5 wt% C-g-PLLA with MSPLLA of 4.46 was used as a compatibilizer, the obtained composite containing 20 wt% cellulose presented an impact strength equal to that obtained for the neat PLLA. The composites had a slightly decreased melting temperature and thermal decomposition temperature, but increased hydrophilicity due to the incorporation of the compatibilizer. This work suggests an effective method to improve the interfacial compatibility between cellulose and PLLA for the fabrication of fully bio-based composites with high performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Cellulose-Polymer Composites)
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13 pages, 4610 KiB  
Article
One-Pot Synthesis of UPy-Functionalized Nanocellulose under Mechanochemical Synergy for High-Performance Epoxy Nanocomposites
by Hanchen Wang, Jiayin Wu, Biao Huang and Qi-Lin Lu
Polymers 2022, 14(12), 2428; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14122428 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2687
Abstract
The high strength, high specific surface area, excellent biocompatibility, and degradability of nanocellulose (NCC) make it a potential reinforcing phase for composite materials. However, the polyhydroxyl property of NCC renders it prone to self-aggregation and it has weak interfacial compatibility with non-polar substrates, [...] Read more.
The high strength, high specific surface area, excellent biocompatibility, and degradability of nanocellulose (NCC) make it a potential reinforcing phase for composite materials. However, the polyhydroxyl property of NCC renders it prone to self-aggregation and it has weak interfacial compatibility with non-polar substrates, limiting its enhancement performance for composite materials. Therefore, based on the high reactivity of NCC, the chemical modification of NCC to introduce functional groups is the basis for effectively reducing its self-aggregation, improving its interfacial compatibility with the polymer matrix, and creating nanocellulose-based functional materials. The existing functional modifications of NCC have limitations; they require cumbersome steps, generate low yields, and are environmentally unfriendly. Herein, ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) was introduced to NCC through a sustainable and high-efficiency avenue formed by the mechanochemical synergy of microwaves and ultrasonication. The obtained UPy-modified nanocellulose (NCC-UPy) exhibited a rod-like shape, with a length of 200–300 nm and a width of 20–30 nm, which presented oriented and stable dispersion in an aqueous medium, and the zeta potential reached −40 mV. Moreover, NCC-UPy had good thermostability (>350 °C) and high crystallinity (82.5%) within the crystal type of cellulose I. Using the as-prepared NCC-UPy as a molecular bridge, it was organically combined with epoxy resin through multiple hydrogen bonds to construct a nanocomposite membrane with superior mechanical strength and thermal stability. The results revealed that NCC-UPy dispersed uniformly in the epoxy matrix without aggregating and that the interfacial compatibility was good, leading to an 87% increase in the tensile strength of the formed nanocomposite membrane when 0.5 wt.% NCC-UPy was loaded. It was proved that NCC-UPy had remarkable reinforcing potential and effective stress transfer capacity for composites. Consequently, this study may open the door to the development of a one-pot green approach for undertaking the functional modification of NCC, and it is of great significance for the development of NCC-based nanocomposites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Cellulose-Polymer Composites)
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14 pages, 3104 KiB  
Article
Mechanically Reinforced, Flexible, Hydrophobic and UV Impermeable Starch-Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF)-Lignin Composites with Good Barrier and Thermal Properties
by Yadong Zhao, Christofer Troedsson, Jean-Marie Bouquet, Eric M. Thompson, Bin Zheng and Miao Wang
Polymers 2021, 13(24), 4346; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13244346 - 12 Dec 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3878
Abstract
Bio-based composite films have been widely studied as potential substitutes for conventional plastics in food packaging. The aim of this study was to develop multifunctional composite films by introducing cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lignin into starch-based films. Instead of costly and complicated chemical [...] Read more.
Bio-based composite films have been widely studied as potential substitutes for conventional plastics in food packaging. The aim of this study was to develop multifunctional composite films by introducing cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lignin into starch-based films. Instead of costly and complicated chemical modification or covalent coupling, this study optimized the performance of the composite films by simply tuning the formulation. We found that starch films were mechanically reinforced by CNF, with lignin dispersing as nanoparticles embedded in the matrix. The newly built-up hydrogen bonding between these three components improves the integration of the films, while the introduction of CNF and lignin improved the thermal stability of the starch-based films. Lignin, as a functional additive, improved hydrophobicity and blocked UV transmission. The inherent barrier property of CNF and the dense starch matrix provided the composite films with good gas barrier properties. The prepared flexible films were optically transparent, and exhibited UV blocking ability, good oxygen-barrier properties, high hydrophobicity, appreciable mechanical strength and good thermal stability. These characteristics indicate potential utilization as a green alternative to synthetic plastics especially for food packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Cellulose-Polymer Composites)
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