Modified natural fibrils for structural hybrid composites: Towards an investigation of textile reduction

Recently, the interest for renewable resources for fibers particularly of plant origin has been increasing. Reduction of use of traditional textile materials is now considered more critical due to the increasing environmental concern. Natural fibers are renewable, biodegradable, recyclable, and lightweight materials with high specific modulus, in competition with man-made fossil materials and fiberglass. Natural fibers are used for preparation of functionalized textiles to achieve smart and intelligent properties. However, the incorporation of these fibers in composite systems has been challenging due to their hydrophilic nature. Nevertheless, the fact that these biodegradable materials can be manipulated at a nano-scale to complement desired objective and application has made them a favorable option.;The idea behind this project is to explore ways to convert green waste to high value materials and to utilize natural building blocks to design textile reinforcement materials. In this work, cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) supplied from the University of Maine were hydrophobized by silylation and characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results from FTIR spectroscopy showed a formation of Si-O-C bonds, indicating better fiber-matrix adhesion. Raman spectroscopy showed disruption of hydrogen bonding which indicates interference of parallel nanocellulose fiber adhesion to neighboring fibrils. The TGA suggests that the thermal stability of the functionalized CNF is higher than that of the corresponding neat sample, which could be a result of stable Si bond formation.;The raw materials (neat and functionalized) were encapsulated in a polystyrene matrix through a solvent and non-solvent precipitation process, and then extruded using single and dual heat processing. The extruded thin filaments were tested according to the ASTM D638 (tensile test of plastics). Results showed an increasing Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and Elastic Modulus, with peak values attributed to the dual-heat processing up to 79% and 69% increase respectively at 5wt% loading. Further increase was seen at 10wt% loading up to 112MPa UTS, and modulus up to 10.7GPa for the dual-heat processing. The UTS increase is assumed to be a result of linear arrangement of CNF in the matrix during the extrusion process. The results revealed the strong reinforcing ability of CNF and their compatibility with thermoplastic matrix if functionalized.