Thesis
Bacterial cellulose/thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2007
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100210
Abstract
Bacterial cellulose (BC) has many applications in membranes, electronics, textiles and especially in the biomedical field. For bacterial cellulose to be more effectively utilized in these applications, it is imperative to fine-tune its properties. This research aims at engineering the morphology, composition and structure of BC-thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites by augmenting the growth medium of the cellulose-producing bacterium, Acetobacter xylinum, with the thermoplastic polymer, thereby manipulating BC biogenesis. It is hypothesized that addition of the thermoplastic polymer into the medium allows the development of intermolecular interactions with the BC fibers during cellulose crystallization into nanofibers, yielding a thermoplastic nanocomposite reinforced with finely dispersed BC nanofibers. Engineering of the nanocomposites was done by varying the type or the amount of polymer added to the medium. Varying polymers by addition of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) into the medium both produced nanocomposites with dispersed BC nanofibers and showed polymer melting point depression. However, BC/PVA nanocomposite demonstrates considerable miscibility and interaction when compared to BC-PEO material by forming hydrogen bonds and also by having single glass transition and degradation temperatures. Varying the amount of polymer added into the medium varied all the characterized properties. BC fiber dispersity, polymer chemical composition and nanocomposite surface roughness increased as polymer amount in medium increased. Also, thermal and mechanical stability increased as BC loading in the nanocomposite increased. These variations of properties illustrated that BC/PEO and BC/PVA nanocomposites can be engineered by BC biogenesis manipulation.
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Details
- Title
- Bacterial cellulose/thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites
- Creators
- Elvie Escorro Brown
- Contributors
- Marie-Pierre Laborie (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525182301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis