Abstract
AbstractComposites in 25 kg batches were compounded of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and thermomechanical pulp (TMP) and shaped into caps at industrial facilities on a pilot‐plant scale. Some of the material was also injection molded into plaques to compare the effect of laboratory‐scale and pilot‐scale compounding of poly(ethylene‐co‐acrylic acid) (EAA7) and poly(caprolactone) composites reinforced with 10 wt% CNC and TMP. The materials compounded under laboratory‐scale conditions showed a different morphology, improved mechanical properties, and a higher viscosity, than the materials compounded on a pilot‐scale. In some cases, the rheological properties of the melts indicated the presence of a relatively strong percolating cellulosic network, and the interphase region between the cellulose and the matrix appears to be important for the mechanical performance of the composites. After the compounding on a pilot scale, both the length and width of the pulp fibers was reduced. The TMP provided better reinforcement than the CNC possibly due to the higher aspect ratio.
Highlights
The search for more sustainable solutions for plastics[1] has led to an interest in the use of cellulose as a reinforcement in polymer composites
Various types of cellulose originating from different sources and having different compositions have been used as a fillers or reinforcement for decades, due to their renewability, biodegradability, abundance and interesting mechanical properties,[2,3] and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) open up new possibilities of producing renewable highly stiff composites.[4,5]
Thermoplastic composites reinforced with cellulosic fibers from thermomechanical pulp (TMP) or tissue can be processed using conventional pilot-scale equipment, but the outcome regarding the mechanical properties varies, probably due to aggregation of the fibers.[9,10]
Summary
The search for more sustainable solutions for plastics[1] has led to an interest in the use of cellulose as a reinforcement in polymer composites. In the case of the CNC-containing EAA7 and PCL samples, the water-assisted mixing was carried out in the laboratory-scale TSE using either the MS or the SPK screw configuration at 50 rpm (Figure 1, Table 1).
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