Nanostructured composite materials reinforced with nature-based cellulose nanofibres

Abstract

A better understanding of the relation between structure and function of cellulose-based hierarchical materials could provide the opportunity for developing new multi-functional composite materials and for designing nanostructured materials structurally optimised, by using biodegradable renewable reinforcing materials. In this paper, recent advances in our Group relating to the study of nanocomposites reinforced with natural cellulose nano-entities, from both vegetal and bacterial sources, are presented. Extraction process of cellulose nanofibres and whiskers as well as composite manufacturing process is expounded. Two composite systems are considered: one based on vegetal cellulose whiskers and another based on bacterial cellulose nanofibres. Presented results are related with morphology, thermal behaviour, mechanical properties, and optical performance of those hierarchical nanocomposites.