Superabsorbent fibers and cellulose hydrogels

NSERC/CRD建议“高吸水性纤维和纤维素水凝胶”。高吸水性纤维很有希望用作高吸水性纸张，如纸巾、尿布等。其他能够吸收大量水分的纤维素产品是纤维素水凝胶。高吸水性纤维和纤维素水凝胶都需要在吸水率、强度、加工条件、与未改性纤维素的相互作用等方面进行优化。高吸水性纤维和水凝胶的优势是它们是绿色的(即通过水过程生产)，并且由可再生材料制成。在拟议的研究中，我们将重点放在：(I)高吸水纤维，特别是优化其制备，研究其溶胀时的形态变化，其干燥和再湿特性，以及其流变性。还将进行造纸机中试；(Ii)纤维素水凝胶，由纤维素纤维、纤维素纳米纤维、化学修饰的纳米晶纤维素和化学修饰的溶解纤维素制成。这些凝胶将得到充分的表征，并将研究它们的流变性。某些凝胶可以制成纺纱用的浆料。将在喷丝板上进行中试，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.