Synthesis and wettability of cellulose based composites by aqueous solutions of nonionic surfactant

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of the new UV-cured polymeric composites with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a bio-filler are presented. The different contents of MCC from 0% to 20% wt. were applied. The polymeric parts of the composites were: bisphenol A glycerolate diacrylate (BPA.DA) as a cross-linking monomer and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) as an active diluent. Due to the application of bulk polymerization method and UV-initiator (2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone), regular plates with the dimensions of 60 × 50 × 3 mm were obtained. The surface properties of the obtained solids were determined by the infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR) and optical profilometer as well as the values of the solid surface tension calculated from those of the contact angle of model liquids and van Oss et al. approach to the solid-liquid interface tension. Next the contact angle measurements of aqueous solutions of the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX100) (C = 10−6–10−3 M) were performed in the time range from 0 to 12 min for each drop. It was proved that with the MCC addition the composites become more hydrophobic and the TX100 adsorption at the solid-water interface as well as the surface structure are not the same as at the water-air one. Also the wetting and the spreading processes depend on the amounts of hydroxyl groups on the composites surface and the surface roughness as well as on the conformation and hydration of hydrophilic parts of TX100 molecules.