(124d) Surface Modification of Cellulose Nanofibrils By Surfactant-Free Emulsion

Hydrophobic surface of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) was successfully prepared using surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of acrylate monomers. The polymerization reaction proceeded satisfactorily using persulfate initiator and the polymers synthesized in the process can encapsulate the surface of CNFs. Several different surface-modified CNFs were carried out using different amounts and compositions of polymer. The products were characterized based on thermal and hydrophobic properties using TGA and contact angle analyzer. Current result indicates the feasibility of CNFs surface modification using water as aqueous medium as a cost-effective method.