Hydrophobic-modified cellulose fibers and cellulose microfibrils as reinforcement for biocomposites

Abstract

The hydrophobic modification of sulfite cellulose fiber (CF) and cellulose microfibril (CMF) was conducted by grafting 1-Octadecanol (18OH) on the surfaces via covalent coupling agent, Tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI), which induced the isocyanate functionality onto the fibers surface. The grafting of 18OH onto cellulose fibers was confirmed by FTIR spectra with a peak that present a decreasing of the OH bond of the grafted fibers. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates the amount of grafting yield which is 4.38% and 5.79% for CF-g-TDI/18OH and CMFg- TDI/18OH, respectively. Moreover, the surface morphology and hydrophobicity of the grafted fibers and the PP-based composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and static contact angle measurement which resulting in the improvement of the interfacial interaction between cellulose fibers and PP matrix.