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New routes for water removal during the processing of lignocellulosic material concepts.
- Maria Sol Malizia
- My Ph.D. research focuses on understanding the drying mechanisms of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), which are known for their exceptional mechanical strength and biocompatibility. These properties make CNFs highly promising for sustainable composites and biomedical devices. However, the interaction between nanocellulose and water, especially at low humidity levels (below 20%), poses some unknown features that need to be addressed to optimize these materials for real-world applications.This presentation will highlight the implications of my research in material science and sustainability. A combination of simulations with experimental techniques to study these interactions is followed. The first project has examined CNF films with different structures at the mesoscale (films produced with different techniques), providing insights into how these structures influence the drying process. Experiments have not yet been conducted, but advancements were made on sample preparation and methodology development. In the near future, scattering techniques and other small-scale methods will be used to investigate how water interacts with CNFs during drying.The next project will focus on the effects of counterions on these interactions, which could further affect the drying behavior and the material's properties. So far, progress has been made in the simulation aspect, which will guide the upcoming experimental work. This presentation will outline the approaches used, the expected results and the potential impact of the findings on advancing the use of nanocellulose in sustainable technologies.
