Perfect Dispersion Research Articles

Investigation of the intelligent anti-aging bitumen using microcapsule clean-product secreting waste cooking oil through polyacrylamide-gel in porous-shell structure

The aging of bitumen is an urgent problem in pavement engineering materials. The objective of this work was to fabricate an intelligent anti-aging bitumen using a clean microcapsule product that secretes waste cooking oil through polyacrylamide (PAM)-gel in a porous shell structure. The microcapsule had a composite shell with cross-linked hexamethoxymethylmelamine as a skeleton with a porous structure and gel PAM filled in pores as the channels of the liquid waste cooking oil as core material. Aged bitumen was mixed with various microcapsules, and their physical and chemical properties were investigated. The testing results indicated that shells had successfully microencapsulated the oily rejuvenator without defects and damages. FT-IR results showed that the HMMM had been cross-linked and PAM also deposited in shells. SEM morphology showed that PAM was removed from the shell material after alcohol elution, and the shell still kept the spherical shape with a porous structure. Penetration experiments have demonstrated that PAM in the porous structure of the shell material can serve as a secretion channel for core material. Microcapsules had perfect thermal stability and homogeneous dispersion in bitumen, and there was no interface separation phenomenon. The test results showed that the bitumen/microcapsules samples gradually became softer and increased viscosity based on the viscosity changes, softening point, and penetration parameters. The tensile test also proved that adding microcapsules reduced the tensile strength of aged bitumen and increased the tensile elongation with the extension of time, which was entirely attributed to the action of the secreted rejuvenator molecules. The complex shear modulus (G*) values of bitumen/microcapsules samples gradually decreased with anti-aging time increasing at the same temperature. The phase angle values (δ) show that its value gradually decreases after the anti-aging process, indicating that the elastic composition of bitumen increases.

Kinetic study of p-nitrophenol degradation with zinc oxide nanoparticles prepared by sol–gel methods

Three zinc oxides (ZnO A, B, C) with similar spherical morphology but different sizes are synthesized by sol–gel methods. A kinetic study is carried out on the photocatalytic activity of these three ZnO, through the degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP). A mathematical model is developed and the rate constants of the three catalysts are determined. To understand the parameters influencing the kinetics, the catalysts are reduced to the surface of an isolated particle (assuming perfect dispersion conditions where all catalytic active sites are available) whose size is determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, by considering the real case (not a perfect dispersion), it appears that the size of the aggregates induced by the synthesis methods play a more important role in the catalytic activity of the three ZnO samples than defects. A discussion on the formation of these aggregates highlights the importance of the synthesis parameters, like the solvent or the surfactant used to obtain a high dispersion. The dispersion plays a crucial role in photocatalytic efficiency, with kinetics three times higher for the catalyst with the best dispersion. Also, as shown by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the type and amount of defects play an important role in the photocatalytic performance. ZnO A and B show a defect peak at 620 nm whereas ZnO C shows a defect peak at 680 nm, suggesting a different type of defect on the surface of the catalyst that reduces the photocatalytic performance. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements are performed to identify the type of radicals involved in PNP degradation. The results show that the catalyst with the best dispersion produces the highest amount of hydroxyl radicals. Finally, photoluminescence and XPS analyses underline the type and the amount of defects for the three photocatalysts.

Highly dispersed nanomaterials in polymer matrix via aerosol-jet-based multi-material 3D printing

Polymer-based nanocomposites emerged in the 1960s as a groundbreaking approach to advanced materials. By incorporating robust, durable, and multifunctional nanomaterials into a polymer matrix, the performance of nanocomposites has significantly surpassed that of the base polymers. However, over the past six decades, the challenges of achieving uniform nanomaterial dispersion and the resulting non-uniform properties have impeded further progress in this field. Here, we present a polymer-based nanocomposite with highly dispersed nanomaterials, achieved through aerosol-jet-based multi-material three-dimensional (AM3D) printing. This method allows precise programming of the nanocomposite's composition, structure, and dispersity. Numerical simulations in the design of AM3D printing system facilitate the avoidance of interfacial compatibility issue among heterogeneous aerosols, enabling distributed printing without nanomaterial agglomeration. As a result of this high level of dispersion and distribution, the 3D structured nanocomposite exhibits a uniform dielectric constant and low dielectric loss across the entire printed area. This work establishes an engineering framework for defect-free nanocomposites and significantly expands the range of polymer-based multi-material nanocomposite that can be designed and manufactured with complex architectures. One-Sentence SummaryAerosol-jet-based multi-material 3D printing enables highly dispersed nanomaterials in the polymer-based nanocomposite.

Optimization of dendritic TS-1/Silica micro–mesoporous composites for efficient hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene

A novel composite material (TD) composed of TS-1 microcrystalline and dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres (DMSNs) was successfully prepared. The TD composite material had open pore structure and large specific surface area, which was conducive to the mass transfer of reactants and products. The Ti element in TS-1 could be used as an electron assistant, and the spillover d-electrons were conducive to the improvement of the sulfidation and dispersion of MoS2, thereby forming more type II MoS2 active phases. The incorporation of Ti could bring more Brønsted (B) and Lewis (L) acid, which was conducive to the hydrogenation pathway (HYD) selectivity (41.2%) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and isomerization (ISO) route selectivity (21.9%) of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) HDS, thus improve the HDS activity of DBT and 4,6-DMDBT. NiMo/TD-70 (Aging temperature = 70 °C) had the best HDS activities of DBT (99.0%) and 4,6-DMDBT (93.7%) due to its large open pore structure, good acidity, suitable metal-support interaction (MSI) and perfect dispersion of the metallic active sites.

Ultrafast removal of antibiotic linezolid under visible light irradiation with a novel Au nanoparticles dispersed polypyrrole-carbon black/ZnTiO3 photocatalyst

Surface modification and bandgap engineering of ZnTiO3 could be highly significant towards the enhancement of its photocatalytic performance by suppressing the recombination rate of charge carriers. In this report, we developed a novel ternary photocatalyst comprised of ZnTiO3 nanostructures, polypyrrole doped carbon back (PPy-C) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). ZnTiO3 nanostructures were prepared by a modified sol–gel process. PPy-C and Au NPs associated ZnTiO3 ternary photocatalyst (Au@PPy-C/ZnTiO3) was effectively developed by ultra-sonication approach followed by a photo-reduction methodology. XRD analysis confirmed the existence of rhombohedral ZnTiO3 in ternary nanocomposite with perfect dispersion of Au NPs on PPy-C/ZnTiO3 hybrid structure. The formation of this Au@PPy-C/ZnTiO3 photocatalyst was further confirmed by XPS and EDS investigation. FTIR investigation also confirmed the trio photocatalytic structure among Au NPs, PPy-C and ZnTiO3. Synthesized Au@PPy-C/ZnTiO3 photocatalyst was found to be highly effectual and ultrafast under visible light illumination with 92.70 % removal of target linezolid molecule (an antibiotic drug) just in 20 min, almost 1.95 times (195 %) more efficacious than bare ZnTiO3. Additionally, the newly synthesized ternary photocatalyst completely removed methylene blue (MB) dye just in 15 min when exposed to visible light. These ultrafast degradation skills of Au@PPy-C/ZnTiO3 were attributed to well-ordered mesoporous structure with high surface area, favorable bandgap, enhancement in visible light absorption and effective decline in recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers.

The preparation of rigid hybrid silicone resins by combining carbon nanomaterial loading nanoparticles

AbstractA series of carbon nanotubes and graphene loading nanoparticles (Mo, Ru, and Pt) were synthesized by the ethylene glycol reduction, in addition, the nanomaterials went through the silanization process by (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane in order to obtain the perfect consistency and dispersibility. The characterization results were then exhibited by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy tests. Furthermore, the nanomaterials modified silicone resins were obtained by combining methyl phenyl silicone resins, nanocarbon material and HOOBt. The differential scanning calorimetry, sol–gel time and thermogravimetric analysis tests showed the preferable improvement of heat‐resistant quality. Then the silicone resin matrix composites were manufactured by molding process and went through a thermal decomposition process. The ILSS, bending strength and modulus results showed that the hybrid modified silicone resin composites had the leading trend (361.4 MPa, 190.3 MPa, 13.5 GPa, etc.) at all temperature stages. This experimental scheme of carbon nanomaterial loading nanoparticles and hybrid modified silicone resins would have a competitive advantage in exotic material field.

Prediction of piezoresistive sensitivity and percolation probability of synergetic CNT-GNP conductive network composite

A novel one-step Monte-Carlo approach considering the orientation effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in synergism with uniformly distributed ellipsoidal graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) teamed up with percolation model is developed to study the percolation probability and gauge factor of hybrid CNT-GNP piezoresistive conductive network composite. A representative volume element is generated based on the randomly oriented rod-like CNTs and uniformly distributed disk-shape GNPs to examine the piezoresistive sensitivity developed by strain under tension. The model predictions are compared with experimental studies related to electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity of hybrid CNT-GNP nanocomposites and a good agreement is achieved. A parametric investigation of the influences of CNT volume fraction, degree of orientation, GNP diameter and volume fraction is performed on the piezoresistive sensitivity of nanocomposite. High piezoresistive sensitivity is achieved for scattered short aligned CNTs distributed in the matrix with sparse low aspect ratio GNPs. The results also demonstrated that high percolation probability is achievable for nanocomposite with longer CNTs oriented in random directions and perfect dispersion of GNPs with higher surface area.

Quantitative evaluation of nanoparticle dispersion based on modeling methods and image analysis: A case study on nano‐Sb2O3 filled Poly (butylene terephthalate) composites

AbstractThe dispersion state of filler in polymer‐matrix composites plays a significant role in determining the performance of nanocomposites. Thus, the quantification of dispersion analysis for inclusions in polymer composites is crucial. In this paper, the robust methods for the quantitative assessment of dispersion are developed. The methods are based on the modeling evaluation and direct analysis of scanning electron microscopy micrographs using binary image technology. The dispersion degree in polymer nanocomposites reinforced with inorganic nanoparticles is calculated by modeling method. In addition, the effect of dispersion on the tensile modulus of nanocomposites is analyzed by modeling method. To further quantify the dispersion of nanoparticles, the mean distance value between nanoparticles is measured. The dispersion index D is defined as the probability of inclusion particles free‐path spacing, according to the frequency distribution of particle spacing data. The dispersion states of different samples are compared to examine the availability of the analysis methods to various dispersion conditions such as the effect of aggregation, agglomeration, cluster distribution, and surface treatment of nanoparticles. Besides, another modeling methodology is established based on inter‐particle distance of the nanocomposites. In this model, the dispersion of the nanoparticles is assessed by comparing the inter‐particle distance with the theoretical value assuming a perfect dispersion. In the case of nano‐Sb2O3 filled Poly (butylene terephthalate) composites, the composites with different dispersion and distribution characteristics were prepared. And the microstructures of these composites are also employed to access the applicability and functionality of the analysis methods.

Semi-confined synthesis of hollow mesoporous Carbon@Silica nanoparticles with amphipathic dual-shell

Amphiphilic dual-shell mesoporous carbon@silica nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via a semi-confined pyrolysis strategy. The external silica shell with radial orient mesochannels provided a characteristic semi-confined nanospace as well as a hard protection layer to construct the dual-shell structures. Intriguingly, the composite polymers could display a library of newfangled structures from flower-shaped to semi-yolk shell spheres and cauliflower-like morphology by modulating the amount of NH3·H2O, for it can not only mediate the construction of polymer-silica surface but control the assembly process. This novel dual-shell hollow nanoparticles manifested a perfect dispersion in water and a remarkable performance as a drug carrier to improve the release rate of Naproxen.

Role of nanomaterials and surfactants for the preparation of graphene nanofluid: A review

The exceptional Thermo-physical properties of various graphene nanomaterials need an aqueous or organic form for dispersion to prepare the graphene nanofluids. And, to decide which graphene nanomaterials and surfactants can be utilized for a particular field of application, hence, dispersion plays an important role in mixing the different graphene nanomaterials and surfactants, which gives the proper concentration and stability of graphene nanofluids. This study presents a summary of the classification of different graphene nanomaterials based on carbon–oxygen structure, the number of layers, composition, synthesis methods, and thermal properties, etc. And, also the classification of surfactants has been carried out on the basis of ionic and non-ionic nature for the perfect dispersion and stability of the graphene nanofluid. Hence, from the literature study, it was observed that additional experimentation and research are needed to determine the optimum concentration of various surfactants in nanofluid and its effect on stability, thermal-physical properties. Also, needed More theoretical model preparation to justify the results obtained during experimentation to explain how exactly the parameters affect the properties of the fluid.

A new analytical model for predicting the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube nanocomposites

In predicting the electrical conductivity (EC) of carbon nanotube (CNT)/polymer nanocomposites (CPCs), previous analytical models did not simultaneously consider the effects of CNT waviness and dispersion state, which exist inevitably for real CPCs. In this work, an effective and comprehensive analytical model is developed to predict the percolation threshold and the EC of CPCs by taking into account the effects of CNT waviness and dispersion, etc. A detailed investigation of the effects of CNT content, conductivity, size, waviness and dispersion is conducted on the EC of CPCs. In particular, it is shown that both CNT waviness and dispersion play significant roles in determining the composite EC. Moreover, the predicted results agree well with the existing experimental results and display a higher prediction accuracy compared with the previous typical models for predicting the composite EC. Analytical results indicate that a high EC can be achieved for CPCs with CNTs of a high conductivity, a large aspect ratio (AR), a perfect dispersion state and a low degree of waviness.

“Labyrinthine structure” anticorrosive water-based composite coatings

A new environmentally friendly modified graphene oxide/waterborne epoxy composite coating (W-EMGO) is reported. The composite coating, developed by introducing graphene oxide modified with [3-(2-aminoethyl) aminopropyl] trimethoxysilane (MGO) into waterborne epoxy, exhibited excellent corrosion resistance and slight harm of solvent-based coating to the environment. The MGO displayed perfect dispersion and corrosion resistance, which reduced the aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) due to the coupling of functional groups. After modification, the lamellar structure of GO remains unchanged, and the interlayer spacing was increased. Crosslinking with resin to form a “labyrinth structure” corrosion path in the coating. Furthermore, the conductivity of GO decreased after the insertion of functional groups. The results demonstrated that the composite with a 0.5 wt.% content of MGO presented remarkably improved corrosion resistance with a protection efficiency (PE) of 99.7%.

Anti-corrosion reinforcement of waterborne polyurethane coating with polymerized graphene oxide by the one-pot method

The research and preparation of excellent anti-corrosion coatings is still a difficult task and critical to practical applications. In this paper, phosphoric acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA), and polyaniline (PANI) were polymerized in-situ onto graphene oxide (GO) by the one-pot method to prepare dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid-PANI/phosphorylated graphene oxide (DPPGO). The results of TEM, FTIR, Raman spectrum, XRD, TGA, and XPS analysis showed that the DPPGO was successfully prepared. The SEM observations showed that DPPGO has best dispersibility and compatibility than GO and PANI/phosphorylated graphene oxide (PPGO) in waterborne polyurethane (WPU) matrix. To achieve anti-corrosion performance, a new type of graphene-based polymer nanocomposites water-based coating was developed and tested by electrochemical measurements. Through a series of electrochemical tests, it is concluded that the anti-corrosion performance of a composite coating DPPGO is significantly improved. The excellent anti-corrosion properties are due to the perfect dispersion and good compatibility of DPPGO in WPU.

A novel surface modification of Sb2O3 nanoparticles with a combination of cationic surfactant and silane coupling agent

A novel, efficient and cost-effective approach for preparing surface modified Sb2O3 nanoparticles was developed by combination modification of cationic modifier cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and silane coupling agent KH-560 via high energy ball milling. In the process of compound modification, the modifier of CTAB was introduced into the system in order to assist the dispersion of bare Sb2O3 nanoparticles prior to the modification of silane coupling agent KH-560. Then, the obtained Sb2O3 nanoparticles were further modified by the modifier of KH-560 to decrease the hydroxyl density of Sb2O3 nanoparticles surface. The successful compound modification of Sb2O3 nanoparticles was confirmed and the Sb2O3 nanoparticles modified by compound modifiers possess smaller particle size and larger grafting ratio than pristine Sb2O3 nanoparticles and single functionalized Sb2O3 nanoparticles. Additionally, the stability of dispersions in organic media, the zeta potentials in the modification system and specific surface areas of Sb2O3 nanoparticles with different surface properties were investigated. The effect of amount and varieties of modifiers on the surface properties of Sb2O3 nanoparticles has been discussed. The results show that the Sb2O3 nanoparticles modified by compound modifiers are dispersed on a primary particle level with the diameter size of 58 nm and possess a perfect dispersibility. Besides, the higher absolute values of zeta potential and larger grafting ratio of nano-Sb2O3 particles modified by compound modifiers demonstrate that the electrosteric stabilization has been achieved by a combination of electrostatic repulsion and steric stabilization.

Modified Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanospheres Composites: Superior Pore Structure and Acidity for Enhanced Hydrodesulfurization Performance of Dibenzothiophene

Dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres (DMSNs) with a center-radical pore structure were successfully fabricated with ZSM-5 seeds to synthesize hierarchically meso–microporous ZSM-5/DMSN (ZD) materials which were used as the support for preparing HDS catalysts. The catalytic activities were evaluated by adopting DBT as the model oil. ZD composites and the corresponding catalysts were well characterized by XRD, XPS, HRTEM, and other techniques. The characterization results manifested that the specific center-radical pore structure was retained after incorporation of microporous zeolite ZSM-5; thus, ZD exhibited a wide pore diameter of about 17 nm, which was definitely preferable for mass transfer in the S removal process. Meanwhile, the open pore channels enhanced the accessibility of the active sites on the internal surface of the catalysts. Introducing ZSM-5 seeds into the framework of DMSNs also improved the acidity and modulated the metal–support interaction as well. As a result, NiMo/ZD series catalysts demonstrated high HDS activities, of which NiMo/ZD-3 achieved the highest HDS efficiency of 98.3%. The superior catalytic performance not only originated from the large center-radical pore structure and good acidity of support but also related to the suitable metal–support interaction and perfect dispersion of the metallic active sites.

Polyvinyl butyral‐based composites with carbon nanotubes: Efficient dispersion as a key to high mechanical properties

AbstractEven if the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their derivatives are commonly used as reinforcing phase in composite materials, also in commercial products, their tendency to agglomerate generally determines a scarce dispersion, thus not maximizing the effect due to the second phase. In this article, a perfect dispersion of highly entangled nanotubes was achieved by using a very simple approach: exploiting the dispersing effect of a low‐cost polymer, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), coupled with standard ultrasound sonication. Several dispersion approaches were tested in order to develop a consistent and widely applicable dispersion protocol. The tape casting technology was subsequently used to produce 100 to 300 μm thick PVB‐matrix composite tapes, reinforced by multiwall CNTs dispersed according to the optimized protocol. Their mechanical properties were evaluated, and a simple model was used to demonstrate that the effective dispersion of CNTs is the key to obtain significantly improved properties.

Mie Resonator Color Inks of Monodispersed and Perfectly Spherical Crystalline Silicon Nanoparticles

AbstractA crystalline silicon (Si) nanoparticle (NP) of 100–200 nm in diameter exhibits a highly saturated color owing to Mie resonance, and can be a component to realize angle‐insensitive structural color covering the entire visible range. However, to date, coloring a substrate by Si nanostructures has only been achieved in a very small area by using electron beam lithography and dry etching processes. In this work, a Si NP color ink capable of coloring a flexible substrate by a painting process is developed. The sphericity of Si NPs is very high; the circularity factor obtained from a transmission electron microscope image reaches 0.97. The average diameter of Si nanospheres is controlled from 95 to 200 nm, and the polydispersity defined by the standard deviation divided by the average diameter is as small as 6%. Because of the high sphericity, high crystallinity, high size purity, and perfect dispersion in solution, the Si nanosphere solutions exhibit vivid colors recognizable by naked eye in a range of blue to orange. The Si nanosphere color inks combined with a polymer binder are capable of coloring flexible substrates by a painting process.

Improvement of Corrosion Resistance of Waterborne Polyurethane Coatings by Covalent and Noncovalent Grafted Graphene Oxide Nanosheets.

The amphiphilic graphene derivative was prepared by covalent grafting of graphene oxide (GO) with isophorone diisocyanate and N,N-dimethylethanolamine and then noncovalent grafting of GO with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. The results obtained from infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the short chains were successfully grafted onto the surface of GO. Subsequently, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy results showed that the modified GO (IP-GO) has the best dispersibility and compatibility than GO and reduced GO in the waterborne polyurethane matrix. The relationship between the corrosion resistance of composite coatings and the dispersibility of the graphene derivative and the compatibility of the graphene derivative with a polymer matrix were discussed. The anticorrosive properties were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis and salt spray tests. Through a series of anticorrosion tests, it is concluded that the anticorrosion performance of a composite coating with 0.3 wt % IP-GO is significantly improved. The excellent anticorrosion performance is due to the perfect dispersion and good compatibility of IP-GO in waterborne polyurethane.

Dynamic crack propagation in nano-composite thin plates under multi-axial cyclic loading

The main cause of failure in structural mechanics is Fatigue, because of cyclic loading which effects on the crack growth, so in this research, the dynamic crack growth for thin plates subjected to multi-axial cyclic loading (non –proportional) have been studied. The material of plates are pure Copper and reinforced with two types of CNTs with 6 vol %, Single Wall Carbon Nano Tubes Carboxylic (SWCNTs-COOH) and Multi-Wall Carbon Nano Tubes Carboxylic MWCNTs-COOH. It was used an efficient way for producing a Nano-composite material, with perfect dispersions of CNTs, to enhance the mechanical properties of copper and getting a homogeneous mixture of Copper and CNTs. For fracture mechanics part will consider firstly, the theoretical model by using the fracture mechanics modeling to predict the enhancement, reliability and operating life of materials and finding a-N curve. Secondly, in the experimental work, a new apparatus was designed to apply the cyclic shear load (repeated and zero based) and constant tension, Also we will find the critical stress intensity factor Kc for mode I and II experimentally, and all the parameter of Paris Law (c & m Paris Law’s constants), (ΔK the change in stress intensity factor) and (da/dN crack growth per cycle), to insert it in ABAQUS program to simulate the model and compare the results to verify this work. The speed of the crack propagation also found experimentally and analytically at the secondary stage of the crack life, for pure copper experimentally crack speed 0.0.0940 mm/min and 0.1248 mm/min analytically, For MWCNTs + Cu 0.083 mm/min experimentally and 0.08809 mm/min analytically, for SWCNTs + Cu 0.1217 mm/min experimentally and 0.135 mm/min analytically, but also it can be seen the difference between the three material in the crack initiation, where the crack starts in the pure copper earlier than MWCNTs + Cu and at last SWCNTs + Cu’s crack will start. So it’s seen that the life of copper was increased around 10% with MWCNTs-COOH and 18% with SWCNTs-COOH.

Effects of additives on the particle morphology and aqueous dispersibility of foam-spray dried cellulose nanocrystal suspensions

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are inherently hydrophilic; even so, their dispersions in water based applications such as rheology modifiers, coatings, and emulsion systems do not often produce perfect dispersions with a minimum energy input. Supplying the CNCs in dry granular powder form is needed in the industrial scale of production because of its easier handling, storage and transportation characteristics. Spray drying is the preferred industrial method for drying acid hydrolyzed CNC suspensions. However, spray drying often causes poor dispersion of dried CNC granules into individual nanoparticles in aqueous solutions if not mixed with high energy input. This study investigates foam-spray drying of CNC particles to enhance their dispersibility in water. Non-ionic 10-mole ethoxylated octylphenol surfactant (OPE-100) and methyl cellulose polymer (MC) were used as additives to assist the foaming of CNC suspensions. Foam-spray drying experiments were carried out under constant process conditions such as inlet and outlet temperatures, gas and liquid flow rates and concentrations of CNCs. We focus on the effects of 10-mole ethoxylated octylphenol surfactant (OPE-100) and methyl cellulose polymer (MC) as additives and foaming of CNCs suspension on the morphology of dried CNC aggregates and their dispersion in water. Our work also describes the molecular interaction mechanisms of CNCs with methyl cellulose and OPE-100 by means of isothermal titration calorimetry and surface charge of the coated CNCs. The addition of nonionic surfactant OPE-100 along with methyl cellulose polymer resulted in spray drying of CNC aggregates with the best water dispersion characteristics. While methyl cellulose generated foams, OPE-100 lowered the inverse thermal gelling of methyl cellulose in spray drying.