Access to tough and transparent nanocomposites via Pickering emulsion polymerization using biocatalytic hybrid lignin nanoparticles as functional surfactants

Adrian Moreno,Jinrong Liu,Mika H Sipponen,Mohammad Morsali

doi:10.1039/d1gc00103e

Abstract

Coating of lignin nanoparticles with chitosan and glucose oxidase allows for the green synthesis of acrylic and vinyl polymers in Pickering emulsions. The resulting dispersions offer a green route to tough composites equipped with antioxidant activity.

Highlights

The performance of glucose oxidase (GOx)-chiLNPs in the stabilization and enzyme-degassed free radical polymerization (FRP) in Pickering emulsions will be discussed
We have identified and exploited polymeric-latex dispersions produced by enzyme-degassed free radical polymerization in aqueous Pickering emulsion media stabilized by hybrid lignin particles (GOx-chi-lignin nanoparticles (LNPs)) to prepare melt-casted hydrophobic polymeric composites incorporating hybrid LNPs as fillers
The kinetic polymerization experiments proved the efficient biocatalytic activity of the particles even at high temperatures, allowing for the polymerization reactions to proceed in the presence of air

Summary

Introduction

Polymeric composites are multi-phase materials in which reinforcing fillers are integrated within a polymeric matrix, resulting in a synergistic effect on different material properties (e.g. mechanical, electrical, optical, magnetic and catalytic among others) that cannot be achieved from their constituent single components.[1,2,3,4] With the widespread interest in the development of functional materials for a plethora of applications, polymeric composites with enhanced properties have attracted considerable attention during the last few years.[5,6,7,8] In this context, the polymerization of monomers stabilized by solid particles in aqueous Pickering emulsions has emerged as one of the most popular and green strategies to generate different polymeric composites. The improved thermal stability of GOx immobilized onto chi-LNPs opens a possibility to apply these surfactants in polymerization processes such as FRP that occurs at elevated temperatures.[57] we decided to study the influence of the concentration of GOx-chi-LNPs on the colloidal quality of the latex dispersions obtained from the FRP of styrene-based Pickering emulsions using AIBN as a thermal initiator at 65 °C (Fig. 2b).

Results

Conclusion