Stabilization of metalic and non-metallic suspensions using Nanocrystalline Cellulose (CNC)

在该提议中，提出将纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）用作包括二氧化硅、铁和锆的各种悬浮液的稳定剂。初步的实验和观察表明，这些可以非常有效地稳定胶体悬浮液。这将取决于待稳定的悬浮液/分散体的类型、其浓度、粒度和分布以及表面特性。将用于本项目的纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）可以使用强酸水解从纤维素纤维中提取。水解条件影响纤维素纳米晶的尺寸和表面性质。使用硫酸进行水解产生在表面上具有阴离子硫基团的CNC颗粒，从而产生静电稳定的CNC水性悬浮液。这些悬浮液的稳定性还取决于离子强度、pH、尺寸和浓度。这些悬浮液的形态变化是很好的理解，他们已经成功地与流变性能以及pH值，表面电荷和离子强度。将详细研究它们与金属和非金属悬浮液/分散体的相互作用，即（i）悬浮液的稳定化和（ii）稳定化机制（下划线物理学）。

In this proposal, Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) are proposed to be used as stabilizing agents for various suspensions including silica, iron and zirconium. Preliminary experiments and observations have shown that these could be extremely effective in stabilizing colloidal suspensions. This will depend on the type of suspension/dispersion to be stabilised, its concentration, particle size and distribution as well surface characteristics. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) which will be used in this project can be extracted from cellulose fibers using strong acid hydrolysis. The hydrolysis conditions affect the size and surface properties of cellulose nanocrystals. Using sulfuric acid for the hydrolysis results in CNC particles with anionic sulfur groups on the surface, leading to electrostatically stabilized CNC aqueous suspensions. The stability of these suspensions also depends on the ionic strength, pH, size and concentration. The morphological changes of these suspensions are well understood and they have been correlated successfully with rheological properties as well as pH, surface charge and ionic strength. Their interactions with metallic and non-metallic suspensions/dispersions will be studied in detail i.e. (i)stabilization of the suspensions and (ii) mechanisms (underlined physics) for stabilization.