Superabsorbent fibers and cellulose hydrogels

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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.