Abstract
Nylon-6 (N6) composites were incorporated with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) extracted from sugarcane bagasse via solvent dissolution. The effect of the CNC content was estimated at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%. Atomic force microscopy images showed that the diameter and length of the obtained CNCs were 52.4 ± 14.8 and 400.38 ± 104.8 nm, respectively. Fourier transform infrared analysis illustrated the increasing dominant peak intensity of cellulose in the composites with a higher CNC content. X-ray diffraction and mechanical analysis determined the optimum improvement in crystallinity index and Young’s modulus in loading 1 wt% of CNCs, with values of 64.37 ± 0.12% and 675.27 MPa, respectively. The highest opacity value of the N6/CNC composites was 8.592 ± 0.062 for N6/CNC-7%. Moreover, CNCs decreased the thermal property of the N6 composites. These results suggested that CNCs have great potential to reinforce N6 polymers.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge UBE Chemical (Asia) Public. Co. Ltd. (Rayong, Thailand) for providing the nylon-6 and the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand for supplying facilities.
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Sucharitpong, T., Lam, N.T. & Sukyai, P. Production of Nylon-6/Cellulose Nanocrystal Composite Films Using Solvent Dissolution. Sugar Tech 22, 328–339 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-019-00775-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-019-00775-0