Surface Engineering of Cellulose Nanofiber by Adsorption of Diblock Copolymer Dispersant for Green Nanocomposite Materials

An effective approach for the dispersion of hydrophilic cellulose nanofiber :(CNF) in hydrophobic high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is presented using, adsorption of a diblock copolymer dispersant. The dispersant consists of both resin compatible poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA) and cellulose interactive poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) blocks. The PLMA-adsorbed CNFs are characterized by FT-IR and contact angle measurement, revealing successful hydrophobization. X=ray CT imaging shows there are apparently less CNF aggregates in the nanocomposites if adding amount of the dispersant was enough. The good dispersion results in- a high mechanical reinforcement, corresponding to 140% higher Young'S :modulus and 84% higher tensile- strength than the neat HDPE. This approach is broadly applicable and.allows for easy manufacturing process for strong and lightweight CNF-reinforced nanocomposite materials.