Composite Fibers Based on Cellulose and Tetraetoxysilane: Preparation, Structure and Properties

Abstract

A method for producing cellulose-based composite fibers with the addition of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with a high degree of dispersion of the additive in the cellulose matrix through a “solid phase” dissolution step of the cellulose in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) is proposed. Investigation of the phase state and morphological features of mixtures of cellulose solutions with TEOS additives in NMMO has shown that in the entire range of concentrations studied, the solutions are biphasic emulsions, and their dispersity and the shape of dispersed phase droplets depend on the prehistory of solution preparation. It is established that the rheological behavior of cellulose solutions with TEOS additives varies depending on the amount of the additive. A theory about a mechanism for changing the rheological behavior of cellulose solutions with TEOS is formulated. X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning and transmission microscopy and IR spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of composite fibers. The mechanical properties of composite cellulose fibers with TEOS are investigated.