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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Contact Dewatering Of Cellulose Nanofibers For Biopolymer Composite Applications, Alexander Collins
Contact Dewatering Of Cellulose Nanofibers For Biopolymer Composite Applications, Alexander Collins
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNFs) are promising materials for reinforcement of polymer matrices attributable to their impressive physical and mechanical properties, as well as their biodegradability. However, the utilization of these materials in composites is made challenging by the water content of CNF slurries, the tendency of CNFs to agglomerate as they dry, and incompatibility between hydrophilic CNFs and hydrophobic polymer matrices. The most commercially viable drying methods to produce small-scale dry CNFs, such as spray drying, are very energy intensive, can only dry the materials down to micron-scale agglomerates, and do not preserve fibrillar aspect ratios. “Contact dewatering,” or the removal …
Use Of Renewable Cellulose Nanofibrils And Water-Barrier Layers In The Production Of Snack Packaging, Thoalfakar Saheb Alsaady
Use Of Renewable Cellulose Nanofibrils And Water-Barrier Layers In The Production Of Snack Packaging, Thoalfakar Saheb Alsaady
Honors College
From potato chips to chocolate bars, snack packaging requires materials that have excellent water vapor and oxygen barrier properties, good mechanical behavior, and good grease resistance. The most common material used in snack packaging is polypropylene (PP) layer that has been aluminum coated or metalized on one surface. The problem is not only that non-renewable petroleum is used to produce the plastic, but the production of aluminum requires large energy inputs and generates toxic wastes. In addition, this current packaging does not break down in the environment and cannot be recycled. This research is looking at using layers of cellulose …