Grafting Polymers from Cellulose Nanocrystals: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00733
• Publication Date: 2018-07-26T16:45:09Z
• Authors: Sandra Wohlhauser; Gwendoline Delepi...; Marianne Labet; Gaëlle Morandi; Wim Thielemans; Christoph Weder; Justin O. Zoppe
• Keywords: Nanomaterials; Surface Modification; Polyolefin

Over the past 10 years, grafting of polymers from surface cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) has gained substantial interest in both academia and industry due to rapidly growing number potential applications surface-modified CNCs, which range building blocks nanocomposites responsive nanomaterials antimicrobial agents. CNCs are rod-like nanoparticles that can be isolated renewable biosources exhibit high crystallinity, tunable aspect ratio, stiffness, strength. Upon drying, abundance hydroxyl groups often leads a degree irreversible aggregation, as result strong hydrogen bonding. Moreover, their relatively hydrophilic character renders incompatible with hydrophobic media, e.g., nonpolar solvents polyolefin matrices. By macromolecules surface, imparted characteristics other physicochemical properties reminiscent grafted polymer. This allowed design nanoscale whose readily useful for formation colloidal dispersions solid state materials. In this Perspective, we provide an overview morphology chemistry detail various techniques manipulate via polymer approaches. explore most common polymerization used graft reducing end including surface-initiated ring-opening (SI-ROP), free (SI-FRP), controlled (SI-CRP) radical polymerization. Finally, insights into some emerging conclude outlook future work would benefit field.