Affiliations 

  • 1 Research Center for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
  • 2 Kolej GENIUS Insan, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai 71800, Malaysia
  • 3 Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
  • 4 Advanced Materials Research Cluster, Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Jeli Kampus, Jeli 17600, Malaysia
Nanomaterials (Basel), 2019 Dec 03;9(12).
PMID: 31817002 DOI: 10.3390/nano9121726

Abstract

The recognition of nanocellulose has been prominent in recent years as prospect materials, yet the ineffectiveness of nanocellulose to disperse in an organic solvent has restricted its utilization, especially as a reinforcement in polymer nanocomposite. In this study, cellulose has been isolated and defibrillated as cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) fibers. Subsequently, to enhance its compatibility with UV-curable polyurethane (PU)-based resin, the surface hydrophilicity of CNF has been tailored with polyethylene glycol (PEG), as well as reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The dispersibility of reinforced modified CNF in UV-curable PU was examined through the transmittance interruption of resin, chemical, and mechanical properties of the composite printed using the stereolithographic technique. Evidently, the enhanced compatibility of modified CNF and UV-curable PU was shown to improve the tensile strength and hardness of the composites by 37% and 129%, respectively.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.