Surface engineering of sustainable materials based on nanocellulose

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This research aims to design high-performance materials to replace those that are based on non-renewable resources by learning from nature and using biological components. Cellulose is particularly promising for use in new materials because it is the most abundant natural substance on earth and has very high mechanical strength, similar to stainless steel and Kevlar. Recently, nanometer-sized particles of cellulose, in the form of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), have gained attention in the media because of their new industrial production at the Domtar demonstration plant in Windsor, Quebec. Tonne per day quantities are being manufactured from wood pulp to create novel nanomaterials such as composites, coatings, gels and foams. Future value-added products from NCC will include paints, cosmetics and biomedical devices and a more general goal is to replace existing non-biodegradable plastic composites with NCC materials. The proposed research will address the most important unresolved scientific issues regarding the design of new NCC composites, including how to improve the compatibility of NCC with other composite components and how to thoroughly measure the physical, chemical and mechanical properties. State-of-the-art tools will be used to characterize and modify NCC in order to optimize it as a reinforcing phase in composites; we will impart better adhesive properties and ensure even distribution of NCC in solid composites by chemically functionalizing the surface of NCC or by coating individual NCC particles with polymers. The interactions between modified NCC and various composite components will be investigated using an atomic force microscope (where a spring-like mechanism is used to detect tiny forces) and by measuring the overall performance of the new NCC composites. For the first time, the stiffness, elongation at break and crack tendencies of NCC films will be studied using a recently developed method based on how materials wrinkle when compressed. Implementation of this research plan will establish NCC as a material platform, ensure its commercial success by developing new markets for this material, and ultimately guarantee that Canada remains at the forefront of NCC discoveries.