Susanna Ahola

Nanoscale Cellulose Films with Different Crystallinities and Mesostructures—Their Surface Properties and Interaction with Water

A systematic study of the degree of molecular ordering and swelling of different nanocellulose model films has been conducted. Crystalline cellulose II surfaces were prepared by spin-coating of the precursor cellulose solutions onto oxidized silicon wafers before regeneration in water or by using the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) technique. Amorphous cellulose films were also prepared by spin-coating of a precursor cellulose solution onto oxidized silicon wafers. Crystalline cellulose I surfaces were prepared by spin-coating wafers with aqueous suspensions of sulfate-stabilized cellulose I nanocrystals and low-charged microfibrillated cellulose (LC-MFC). In addition, a dispersion of high-charged MFC was used for the buildup of polyelectrolyte multilayers with polyetheyleneimine on silica with the aid of the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. These preparation methods produced smooth thin films on the nanometer scale suitable for X-ray diffraction and swelling measurements. The surface morphology and thickness of the cellulose films were characterized in detail by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ellipsometry measurements, respectively. To determine the surface energy of the cellulose surfaces, that is, their ability to engage in different interactions with different materials, they were characterized through contact angle measurements against water, glycerol, and methylene iodide. Small incidence angle X-ray diffraction revealed that the nanocrystal and MFC films exhibited a cellulose I crystal structure and that the films prepared from N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), LiCl/DMAc solutions, using the LS technique, possessed a cellulose II structure. The degree of crystalline ordering was highest in the nanocrystal films (approximately 87%), whereas the MFC, NMMO, and LS films exhibited a degree of crystallinity of about 60%. The N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc)/LiCl film possessed very low crystalline ordering (<15%). It was also established that the films had different mesostructures, that is, structures around 10 nm, depending on the preparation conditions. The LS and LiCl/DMAc films are smooth without any clear mesostructure, whereas the other films have a clear mesostructure in which the dimensions are dependent on the size of the nanocrystals, fibrillar cellulose, and electrostatic charge of the MFC. The swelling of the films was studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. To understand the swelling properties of the films, it was necessary to consider both the difference in crystalline ordering and the difference in mesostructure of the films.

Model Films from Native Cellulose Nanofibrils. Preparation, Swelling, and Surface Interactions

Native cellulose model films containing both amorphous and crystalline cellulose I regions were prepared by spin-coating aqueous cellulose nanofibril dispersions onto silica substrates. Nanofibrils from wood pulp with low and high charge density were used to prepare the model films. Because the low charged nanofibrils did not fully cover the silica substrates, an anchoring substance was selected to improve the coverage. The model surfaces were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of nanofibril charge density, electrolyte concentration, and pH on swelling and surface interactions of the model film was studied by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and AFM force measurements. The results showed that the best coverage for the low charged fibrils was achieved by using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS) as an anchoring substance and hence it was chosen as the anchor. The AFM and XPS measurements showed that the fibrils are covering the substrates. Charge density of the fibrils affected the morphology of the model surfaces. The low charged fibrils formed a network structure while the highly charged fibrils formed denser film structure. The average thickness of the films corresponded to a monolayer of fibrils, and the average rms roughness of the films was 4 and 2 nm for the low and high charged nanofibril films, respectively. The model surfaces were stable in QCM-D swelling experiments, and the behavior of the nanofibril surfaces at different electrolyte concentrations and pHs correlated with other studies and the theories of Donnan. The AFM force measurements with the model surfaces showed well reproducible results, and the swelling results correlated with the swelling observed by QCM-D. Both steric and electrostatic forces were observed and the influence of steric forces increased as the films were swelling due to changes in pH and electrolyte concentration. These films differ from previous model cellulose films due to their chemical composition (crystalline cellulose I and amorphous regions) and fibrillar structure and hence serve as excellent models for the pulp fiber surface.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Native Cellulose Nanofibrils and Other Cellulose Model Films: Effect of Surface Structure

Model films of native cellulose nanofibrils, which contain both crystalline cellulose I and amorphous domains, were used to investigate the dynamics and activities of cellulase enzymes. The enzyme binding and degradation of nanofibril films were compared with those for other films of cellulose, namely, Langmuir-Schaefer and spin-coated regenerated cellulose, as well as cellulose nanocrystal cast films. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was used to monitor the changes in frequency and energy dissipation during incubation at varying enzyme concentrations and experimental temperatures. Structural and morphological changes of the cellulose films upon incubation with enzymes were evaluated by using atomic force microscopy. The QCM-D results revealed that the rate of enzymatic degradation of the nanofibril films was much faster compared to the other types of cellulosic films. Higher enzyme loads did not dramatically increase the already fast degradation rate. Real-time measurements of the coupled contributions of enzyme binding and hydrolytic reactions were fitted to an empirical model that closely described the cellulase activities. The hydrolytic potential of the cellulase mixture was found to be considerably affected by the nature of the substrates, especially their crystallinity and morphology. The implications of these observations are discussed in this report.