Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments

Xun Niu; Siqi Huan; Haiming Li; Hui Pan; Orlando J. Rojas

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073

Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments

Xun Niu
, Siqi Huan
, Haiming Li
, Hui Pan^*
, Orlando J. Rojas

^*Corresponding author for this work

Nanjing Forestry University
University of British Columbia
Dalian Polytechnic University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

243 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We introduce a green and facile method to compatibilize hydrophobic polylactide (PLA) with hydrophilic cellulose nanofibers (CNF) by using ionic liquid ([DBNH][OAc]) welding with a cosolvent system (gamma-valerolactone). Such welding affords strong (230 MPa tensile strength), flexible (13% elongation at break), transparent (>90%) and defect-free CNF/PLA films. The films are biodegradable in marine environments (70% degradation in 7 weeks), facilitating the otherwise slow PLA decomposition. Physical, chemical and structural features of the films before and after welding are compared and factored in the trends observed for degradation in seawater. The results point to the possibility of PLA-based films forming a co-continuous system with nanocellulose to achieve an improved performance. The role of film morphology, hydrophobicity, and crystallinity is discussed to add to the prospects for packaging materials that simultaneously display accelerated degradability in marine environments.

Original language	English
Article number	124073
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Hazardous Materials
Volume	402
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073
Publication status	Published - 15 Jan 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

Hui Pan and Xun Niu are grateful for the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31770631 ). Orlando J. Rojas and Xun Niu acknowledge funding from the Canada Excellence Research Chair initiative, Government of Canada the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ERC Advanced Grant Agreement No. 788489 , “BioElCell”).

Keywords

Cellulose Nanofibers
Degradation
Ionic liquid welding
Polylactide
Seawater

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10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S030438942032063X-mainFinal published version, 5.35 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{66362621349e4235a19019b3635503d5,

title = "Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments",

abstract = "We introduce a green and facile method to compatibilize hydrophobic polylactide (PLA) with hydrophilic cellulose nanofibers (CNF) by using ionic liquid ([DBNH][OAc]) welding with a cosolvent system (gamma-valerolactone). Such welding affords strong (230 MPa tensile strength), flexible (13\% elongation at break), transparent (>90\%) and defect-free CNF/PLA films. The films are biodegradable in marine environments (70\% degradation in 7 weeks), facilitating the otherwise slow PLA decomposition. Physical, chemical and structural features of the films before and after welding are compared and factored in the trends observed for degradation in seawater. The results point to the possibility of PLA-based films forming a co-continuous system with nanocellulose to achieve an improved performance. The role of film morphology, hydrophobicity, and crystallinity is discussed to add to the prospects for packaging materials that simultaneously display accelerated degradability in marine environments.",

keywords = "Cellulose Nanofibers, Degradation, Ionic liquid welding, Polylactide, Seawater",

author = "Xun Niu and Siqi Huan and Haiming Li and Hui Pan and Rojas, \{Orlando J.\}",

note = "| openaire: EC/H2020/788489/EU//BioELCell",

year = "2021",

month = jan,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073",

language = "English",

volume = "402",

journal = "Journal of Hazardous Materials",

issn = "0304-3894",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide

T2 - Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments

AU - Niu, Xun

AU - Huan, Siqi

AU - Li, Haiming

AU - Pan, Hui

AU - Rojas, Orlando J.

N1 - | openaire: EC/H2020/788489/EU//BioELCell

PY - 2021/1/15

Y1 - 2021/1/15

N2 - We introduce a green and facile method to compatibilize hydrophobic polylactide (PLA) with hydrophilic cellulose nanofibers (CNF) by using ionic liquid ([DBNH][OAc]) welding with a cosolvent system (gamma-valerolactone). Such welding affords strong (230 MPa tensile strength), flexible (13% elongation at break), transparent (>90%) and defect-free CNF/PLA films. The films are biodegradable in marine environments (70% degradation in 7 weeks), facilitating the otherwise slow PLA decomposition. Physical, chemical and structural features of the films before and after welding are compared and factored in the trends observed for degradation in seawater. The results point to the possibility of PLA-based films forming a co-continuous system with nanocellulose to achieve an improved performance. The role of film morphology, hydrophobicity, and crystallinity is discussed to add to the prospects for packaging materials that simultaneously display accelerated degradability in marine environments.

AB - We introduce a green and facile method to compatibilize hydrophobic polylactide (PLA) with hydrophilic cellulose nanofibers (CNF) by using ionic liquid ([DBNH][OAc]) welding with a cosolvent system (gamma-valerolactone). Such welding affords strong (230 MPa tensile strength), flexible (13% elongation at break), transparent (>90%) and defect-free CNF/PLA films. The films are biodegradable in marine environments (70% degradation in 7 weeks), facilitating the otherwise slow PLA decomposition. Physical, chemical and structural features of the films before and after welding are compared and factored in the trends observed for degradation in seawater. The results point to the possibility of PLA-based films forming a co-continuous system with nanocellulose to achieve an improved performance. The role of film morphology, hydrophobicity, and crystallinity is discussed to add to the prospects for packaging materials that simultaneously display accelerated degradability in marine environments.

KW - Cellulose Nanofibers

KW - Degradation

KW - Ionic liquid welding

KW - Polylactide

KW - Seawater

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85091779835

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073

DO - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124073

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85091779835

SN - 0304-3894

VL - 402

JO - Journal of Hazardous Materials

JF - Journal of Hazardous Materials

M1 - 124073

ER -

Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments

Abstract

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Keywords

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BioELCell: Bioproducts Engineered from Lignocelluloses: from plants and upcycling to next generation materials

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Transparent films by ionic liquid welding of cellulose nanofibers and polylactide: Enhanced biodegradability in marine environments

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

BioELCell: Bioproducts Engineered from Lignocelluloses: from plants and upcycling to next generation materials

Cite this