High-performance green nanocomposites using aligned bacterial cellulose and soy protein. (7th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rahman, Muhammad M.; Netravali, Anil N.
• Is Part Of: Composites science and technology. Volume 146(2017)
• Page Start: 183
• Page End: 190
• Publication Date: 2017-07-07
• Subjects: Nano composites -- Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) -- Mechanical properties -- Strength -- Aligned bacterial cellulose; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials; Fibrous composites; Periodicals; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2017.04.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-3538

Abstract

Abstract: Maximum potential of any fibers as reinforcing agent in composite materials can be obtained through their preferential alignment. In this study, a facile method has been developed to fabricate high-performance green composites based on aligned bacterial cellulose (BC) as reinforcing agent and soy protein as bio-resin. Aligned BC nanofibrils were produced by cultivating it inside polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) tubes followed by an optimum wet-stretching. The curved geometry of the inner tube surface provided the bacteria a preferred direction for growth. Further improvement in alignment was obtained with optimized stretching of the tube-shaped BC (TBC) at a crosshead speed of 0.03 mm/min and draw ratio of 1.20. Stretched TBC showed superior mechanical properties in comparison to the conventionally-grown BC pellicle. Stretched TBC resulted in higher tensile strength (230% increase), modulus (330% increase), and orientation indices (135% increase) compared to the conventional BC pellicle. Soy protein isolate (SPI)-based fully green composites reinforced with TBC were prepared by a vacuum-assisted resin impregnation process, and the same stretching method was applied to the TBC-SPI gel. The stretched and cured composites showed significant improvements in the tensile strength (from 40 MPa to 150 MPa) and modulus (from 2 GPa to 8 GPa) in comparison to the conventional BC reinforced composite because of the enhanced alignment of BC nanofibrils. Graphical abstract: