Superabsorbent fibers and cellulose hydrogels

摘要NSERC/CRD提案“超吸收纤维和纤维素水凝胶”。 高吸水性纤维是用于高吸水性纸（例如擦拭物、尿布等）的有希望的候选物。能够吸收大量水的其它纤维素产品是纤维素水凝胶。超吸收性纤维和纤维素水凝胶都需要针对吸水性、强度、加工条件、与未改性纤维素的相互作用等进行优化。超吸收性纤维素纤维和水凝胶的优点在于它们是“绿色”的（即在水性工艺中生产）并且由可再生材料制成。在拟议的研究中，我们将重点关注：（i）超吸收纤维，特别是优化其制造，研究其膨胀后的形态变化、干燥和再湿特性以及流变学。也将进行造纸机试验;（ii）纤维素水凝胶，由纤维素原纤维、纤维素纳米纤维、化学改性纳米晶纤维素和化学改性溶解纤维素制成。将对这些凝胶进行充分表征，并研究其流变学。某些凝胶可制成纺织纤维纺丝用的涂料。将在纤维素纤维上进行中试试验，以优化纤维素纺织纤维的性能。

Summary NSERC/CRD proposal "Superabsorbent fibers and cellulose hydrogels". Superabsorbent fibers are promising candidates for superabsorbent papers, such as wipes, diapers, etc. Other cellulose products able to take up large amounts of water are cellulose hydrogels. Both superabsorbent fibers and cellulose hydrogels need to be optimized for water absorbency, strength, processing conditions, interactions with non-modified cellulose, etc. The advantages of superabsorbent cellulose fibers and hydrogels are that they are "green" (i.e. produced in an aqueous process) and made from renewable materials. In the proposed research we will focus on: (i) Superabsorbent fibers, especially optimizing their fabrication, studying their morphological changes upon swelling, their drying and rewetting characteristics, and their rheology. Pilot paper machine trials will be done as well; (ii) Cellulose hydrogels, made from cellulose fibrils, cellulose nanofibers, chemically modified nanocrystalline cellulose and from chemically modified dissolved cellulose. These gels will be fully characterized and their rheology will be studied. Certain gels can be made into dopes for the spinning of textile fibers. Pilot trials on a spinneret will be performed to optimize the properties of cellulose textile fibers.