Polymer and Organic Materials Commons^™

Analytical And Experimental Investigation Of Interphase And Dispersion Effects On The Mechanical Stiffness Of Cellulose Nanocomposites, Will Goldberg

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The effect of dispersion and interphase properties on the elastic behavior of cellulose nanocomposites was investigated using a number of composite models, experimental data and a thorough literature review. Cellulose nanocomposites consisting of soy protein isolate (SPI) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or polydopamine coated cellulose nanocrystals (PD-CNC) were prepared via solution casting method and tested for mechanical stiffness. These outcomes were compared to standard composite models as well as novel methods adapted from the literature that incorporate data regarding dispersion quality and interphase properties. The literature review verified that both dispersion and interphase properties are highly dependent on interfacial chemistry …