Defence of doctoral thesis: Johanna Sjölund – Cationic cellulose fibers – Modification, properties, and potential applications

As we strive towards a more sustainable society, there is a growing demand toreplace fossil-based products with materials derived from renewable sources. Cellulose-based materials are promising candidates for this substitution. However, these materials do not always possess the properties needed to fully replace less sustainable counterparts.

Chemical modification can significantly alter the properties of cellulose fibers and materials prepared from them. This work explores the potential of one such modification – cationization. More specifically, the modification reaction, the properties of the material produced, and its potential applications are explored.

A high-consistency modification technique was employed to increase the reaction efficiency, thereby making the modification more industrially applicable. The modification enhanced the fibers’ interactions with water, and the prepared material was prone to both moisture sorption and swelling. Furthermore, papers prepared from the modified fibers exhibited an increased strainability. The observed enhanced strainability of the prepared papers, combined with moisture-induced softening, yielded a material that could withstand 3D forming without rupturing. The unprecedented swelling of the cationized fibers enabled them to be used as high-surface-area scaffolds for adsorbing high loads of nanosized particles.

All in all, this thesis contributes to alleviating some of the concerns and limitations associated with cationization of cellulose. It explores the potential of cationized fibers, a previously disregarded research topic, and provides insights into what can be achieved using them.

Link to DiVA