Cellulose Microfibril/Nanofibril and Its Nanocompsites

Cellulose micro/nanofibril (CMNF) as a reinforcing material for composites is becoming more and more attractive to researchers in composite science because of its potential lightweight and high strength. CMNF is generally prepared by either physical treatment, e.g., by a high pressure homogenizer and/or high pressure refiner, or chemical treatments, e.g., acid hydrolysis. In this study, attempts have been made to produce CMNF from regenerated cellulose fiber (Lyocell) by a novel process. The geometrical characteristics of the CMNF were investigated using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their crystalline structure was investigated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). CMNFreinforced polypropylene nanocomposites were prepared by a new method combined a filtration system with a compressive molding. Their properties were evaluated by tensile test and their morphological characteristics of the fracture cross section were investigated with SEM.