Abstract
Doubly curved nanofiber-reinforced optically transparent composites with low thermal expansion of 15 ppm/k are prepared by hot pressing vacuum-filtered Pickering emulsions of hydrophobic acrylic resin monomer, hydrophilic chitin nanofibers and water. The coalescence of acrylic monomer droplets in the emulsion is prevented by the chitin nanofibers network. This transparent composite has 3D shape moldability, making it attractive for optical precision parts.
Highlights
Curved nanofiber-reinforced optically transparent composites with low thermal expansion of 15 ppm/k are prepared by hot pressing vacuum-filtered Pickering emulsions of hydrophobic acrylic resin monomer, hydrophilic chitin nanofibers and water
An aqueous suspension containing 3 wt% of a mixture of acrylic resin and chitin nanofibers was prepared by dispersing chitin nanofibers (0.5 g) in water (166 g) and adding acrylic resin (4.5 g) with stirring, followed by mechanical agitation
Vigorous agitation of the suspension of chitin nanofibers and acrylic resin led to the formation of resin droplets dispersed in water, which appeared as a white viscous emulsion (Fig. 2a) that was stable for months
Summary
Curved nanofiber-reinforced optically transparent composites with low thermal expansion of 15 ppm/k are prepared by hot pressing vacuum-filtered Pickering emulsions of hydrophobic acrylic resin monomer, hydrophilic chitin nanofibers and water. To prepare optically transparent nanocomposites, cellulose or chitin nanofibers are first dispersed in water and filtered to form nanofiber sheets. We introduce a simple approach to fabricate doubly curved optically transparent chitin acrylic resin nanocomposites by Pickering emulsification.
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