Obtenção e caracterização de nanocompósitos de poliuretano termoplástico reforçado com nanocristais de celulose

Abstract

In this study the potential of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as a reinforcement of a thermoplastic polyurethane partially obtained from renewable sources (Bio-TPU) was investigated. The nanocomposites were obtained in the melt state and from solution casting. The CNC were obtained from acid hydrolysis of eucalyptus kraft pulp. They were freeze dried and used with and without surface treatment. Two types of surface treatment were employed: polymer grafting and oligomers grafting. Only the effectiveness of the second treatment could be confirmed by FTIR. CNC’ structural and geometric characteristics, crystallinity degree and thermal stability were determined by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The concentrations of CNC were varied between 0.1 and 5.0 wt %. The rheological properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated in the steady state and oscillatory measurements in order to evaluate the level of dispersion CNCs in TPU. The nanocomposites obtained by solution casting showed good dispersion. In the melt state, only those obtained with treated CNC showed good dispersion. The deformation and elastic recovery of the nanocomposites tests in the melt state were evaluated through creep and constrained recoil rheological essays. Their morphologies were studied by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was possible to prove the inclusion of CNC in TPU did not change its conformation. The nanocomposites were also characterized according to their: i) mechanical properties, through tensile tests, ii) thermal properties, by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and TGA, iii) thermo-mechanical properties, evaluated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and iv) optical properties, through opacity the nanocomposites with 5.0 wt % of CNC shown better performance and similar results were found from solution casting and melt state processing techniques.