Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose/Eucommia ulmoides gum nanocomposite film

Qianqian Sun; Xinkun Zhao; Dongmei Wang; Juane Dong; Diao She; Pai Peng

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.11.070

Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose/Eucommia ulmoides gum nanocomposite film

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Feb 1:181:825-832. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.11.070. Epub 2017 Nov 22.

Authors

Qianqian Sun¹, Xinkun Zhao¹, Dongmei Wang², Juane Dong³, Diao She⁴, Pai Peng⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
² College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
³ College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS&MWR, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: diaoshe@ms.iswc.ac.cn.
⁵ College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: pengpai@nwafu.edu.cn.

PMID: 29254042
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.11.070

Abstract

The nanocomposite films were prepared using Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) matrix reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) at different concentrations. Subsequently, the obtained films were characterized by Raman spectra, AFM, XRD, TGA, and DSC. Meanwhile, the wettability, mechanical, and water vapor barrier properties of these films were analyzed. AFM noticed that the average sizes of NCC were 81.95×50.17×13.06nm, while the size of molecular chain for EUG was 2530×57.33×1.28nm. In comparison with control film, a certain amount of NCC obviously improved elongation at break and enhanced their crystallinity and ΔH_m. More importantly, NCC/EUG nanocomposite films presented lower thermal stability, glass transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature (T_m), and water vapor permeability (WVP) values, especially the WVP values of 4% NCC film were the lowest as 0.28×10^-9, 0.30×10^-9, and 0.58×10^-9g/m/h/Pa at RH 34%, 55%, and 76%, respectively.

Keywords: Eucommia ulmoides gum; Nanocomposite film; Nanocrystalline cellulose; Packaging.