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Reducing the Amount of Catalyst in TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers: Effect on Properties and Cost

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are interesting biopolymers that find numerous applications in different scientific and technological fields. However, manufacturing costs are still one of the main drawbacks for the industrial production of highly fibrillated, transparent CNF suspensions. In the present study, cellulose nanofibers were produced from bleached eucalyptus pulp via TEMPO-mediated oxidation with varying amounts of NaClO and passed through a high-pressure homogenizer. The CNFs were chemically and physically characterized; cellulose nanopapers were also produced to study tensile properties. Production costs were also calculated. Results indicated that CNF properties are strongly dependent on the carboxyl content. Manufacturing costs showed that chemicals, in particular TEMPO catalyst, represent a large part of the final cost of CNFs. In order to solve this problem, a set of samples were prepared where the amount of TEMPO was gradually reduced. Characterization of samples prepared in this way showed that not only were the costs reduced, but also that the final properties of the CNFs were not significantly affected when the amount of TEMPO was reduced to half

Polymers, 2017, vol. 9, núm. 11, p. 557-571

MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

Author: Serra Bruns, Albert
González Tovar, Israel
Oliver Ortega, Helena
Tarrés Farrés, Joaquim Agustí
Delgado Aguilar, Marc
Mutjé Pujol, Pere
Date: 2017 October 26
Abstract: Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are interesting biopolymers that find numerous applications in different scientific and technological fields. However, manufacturing costs are still one of the main drawbacks for the industrial production of highly fibrillated, transparent CNF suspensions. In the present study, cellulose nanofibers were produced from bleached eucalyptus pulp via TEMPO-mediated oxidation with varying amounts of NaClO and passed through a high-pressure homogenizer. The CNFs were chemically and physically characterized; cellulose nanopapers were also produced to study tensile properties. Production costs were also calculated. Results indicated that CNF properties are strongly dependent on the carboxyl content. Manufacturing costs showed that chemicals, in particular TEMPO catalyst, represent a large part of the final cost of CNFs. In order to solve this problem, a set of samples were prepared where the amount of TEMPO was gradually reduced. Characterization of samples prepared in this way showed that not only were the costs reduced, but also that the final properties of the CNFs were not significantly affected when the amount of TEMPO was reduced to half
Format: application/pdf
Citation: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9110557
ISSN: 2073-4360
Document access: http://hdl.handle.net/10256/14575
Language: eng
Publisher: MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
Collection: Reproducció digital del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9110557
Articles publicats (D-EQATA)
Is part of: Polymers, 2017, vol. 9, núm. 11, p. 557-571
Rights: Attribution 3.0 Spain
Rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
Subject: Biopolímers
Biopolymers
Nanofibres
Nanofibers
Fibres de cel·lulosa
Cellulose fibers
Title: Reducing the Amount of Catalyst in TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers: Effect on Properties and Cost
Type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Repository: DUGiDocs

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