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2.7 Controlled Humidity Cycling as a Tool for Tuning Mechanical Properties of CNF Films

  • Damien Pierce
  • PhD student,
  • KTH
  • Co-author(s): Korneliya Gordeyeva, Jonas Tejbo, Tomas Rosén, L.Daniel Söderberg
  • Supervisor (PhD-students/postdocs): Daniel Söderberg
  • Thin cellulose nanofibril films produced by evaporation casting are a promising, more sustainable alternative to those derived from fossil fuels. Their favourable mechanical properties and high transparency make them ideally suited for use as high performance packaging materials. Tailoring of the mechanical properties could be easily achieved by humidity cycling under constrained conditions. In this study we demonstrate how alignment and mechanical properties are affected by the speed (harshness) of humidity cycling. Preferential orientation of the slow axis of birefringence along the axis of the grips occurs, as well as hornification with subsequent cycles. Alignment was primarily present in the (200) crystalline plane, with a consistent orientation order independent of the harshness of the treatment. Improved mechanical properties were observed only for the mildest of humidity cycles, with harsher treatments yielding weaker films.
  • Time of presentation: 11.30
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