Poly(ethylene oxide) bionanocomposites reinforced with chitin nanofiber networks

With excellent reinforcing performance and many remarkable inherent properties, such as renewability and high strength-per-unit-mass, chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) are attractive resources for polymer composite applications. However, significant challenges resulting from chitin's insolubility have...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer (Guilford) 2016-02, Vol.84, p.267-274
Main Authors: Wu, Jie, Lin, Haisheng, Meredith, J. Carson
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adhesive bonding
Chitin
Dispersions
Elastic modulus
Nanofibers
Nanostructure
Networks
Poly(ethylene oxide)
Polyethylene oxides
Polymer matrix composites
Polymer nanocomposites
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:With excellent reinforcing performance and many remarkable inherent properties, such as renewability and high strength-per-unit-mass, chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) are attractive resources for polymer composite applications. However, significant challenges resulting from chitin's insolubility have hindered efforts to incorporate it effectively into polymer matrices. Here, ChNFs extracted from crab shells were used as fillers to reinforce polyethylene oxide (PEO). The dispersion of ChNFs in the polymer matrix and the interactions between fiber and matrix were studied by utilizing solvent-etching of the polymer matrix, FTIR spectroscopy and AFM colloidal probe adhesion measurements. The results show that the ChNFs were dispersed well and formed a fine interconnected network structure in the PEO matrix. ChNFs also exhibited strong adhesion with PEO, resulting from hydrogen bond and van der Waals forces. The ChNF interconnected network greatly enhanced the mechanical properties of PEO, with a 3-fold increase in both the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the nanocomposites at 20% ChNF loading. Processing ChNFs in suspensions with slight acidity and water-soluble polymers appears to support the formation of highly interconnected networks that makes ChNF-polymer composites excellent candidates for reinforced, light-weight, renewable materials. [Display omitted] •ChNFs dispersed well and formed interconnected network structures in the PEO matrix.•ChNF has strong h-bond and VDW-driven adhesion with itself and with PEO.•Tensile strength and elastic modulus were enhanced 3-fold at 20 wt.% ChNF.
ISSN:0032-3861
1873-2291
DOI:10.1016/j.polymer.2016.01.017