Current Progress in Rheology of Cellulose Nanofibril Suspensions

Biomacromolecules. 2016 Jul 11;17(7):2311-20. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00668. Epub 2016 Jun 28.

Abstract

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are produced and commonly used in the form of aqueous suspensions or gels. A number of studies have focused lately on rheological properties of CNF suspensions, which gives insight into properties of such materials and can reflect their behavior during handling. This Review summarizes the recent progress in rheological studies on CNF aqueous suspensions using rotational rheometry. Here, we discuss linear viscoelastic properties, i.e., frequency-dependent storage and loss moduli; shear flow behavior, i.e., apparent viscosity and shear stress as a function of shear rate; local flow characteristics, etc. In this Review, we point out that the rheological behavior of at least two types of CNF suspensions should be distinguished: (i) ones produced using mechanical fibrillation with or without enzymatic pretreatment (no surface chemical modification), which possess highly flocculated structure, and (ii) ones produced involving chemical modification pretreatments, e.g., carboxylation, carboxymethylation, quaternization, or sulfonation, which possess better colloidal stability and do not evidently flocculate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cellulose / chemistry*
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Rheology*
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Suspensions

Substances

  • Suspensions
  • Cellulose