We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Poly( N-vinylcaprolactam) nanocomposites containing nanocrystalline cellulose: a green approach to thermoresponsive hydrogels.
- Authors
Sanna, Roberta; Fortunati, Elena; Alzari, Valeria; Nuvoli, Daniele; Terenzi, Andrea; Casula, Maria; Kenny, Josè; Mariani, Alberto
- Abstract
In this work, we report on the synthesis and characterization of thermoresponsive poly( N-vinylcaprolactam), PNVCL, nanocomposite hydrogels containing nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) by the use of frontal polymerization technique, which is a convenient, easy and low energy-consuming method of macromolecular synthesis. CNC was obtained by acid hydrolysis of commercial microcrystalline cellulose and dispersed in dimethylsulfoxide. The dispersion was characterized by TEM analysis and mixed with suitable amounts of N-vinylcaprolactam for the synthesis of PNVCL nanocomposite hydrogels having a CNC concentration ranging between 0.20 and 2.0 wt%. The nanocomposite hydrogels were analyzed by SEM and their swelling and rheological features were investigated. It was found that CNC decreases the swelling ratio even at small concentration. The rheological properties of the hydrogels indicated that CNC strongly influenced the viscoelastic modulus, even at concentrations as low as 0.1 wt%: both G′ and G″, and the viscosity increase with CNC content, indicating that the nanocellulose has a great potential to reinforce PNVCL polymer hydrogels.
- Subjects
CAPROLACTAM; NANOCOMPOSITE materials; NANOCRYSTALS; CELLULOSE; RESPONSIVE gels; HYDROGELS
- Publication
Cellulose, 2013, Vol 20, Issue 5, p2393
- ISSN
0969-0239
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10570-013-9988-1