Open AccessSustainable Surface Engineering of Lignocellulose and Cellulose by Synergistic Combination of Metal‐Free Catalysis and Polyelectrolyte Complexes
Author(s) -
Alimohammadzadeh Rana,
Osong Sinke H.,
Rafi Abdolrahim A.,
Dahlström Christina,
Cordova Armando
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
global challenges
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2056-6646
DOI - 10.1002/gch2.201900018
Subject(s) - cellulose , cellulose fiber , pulp (tooth) , cationic polymerization , polyelectrolyte , chemistry , chemical engineering , catalysis , surface modification , cellulosic ethanol , lignin , lignocellulosic biomass , organic chemistry , materials science , polymer , medicine , pathology , engineering
A sustainable strategy for synergistic surface engineering of lignocellulose and cellulose fibers derived from wood by synergistic combination of metal‐free catalysis and renewable polyelectrolyte (PE) complexes is disclosed. The strategy allows for improvement and introduction of important properties such as strength, water resistance, and fluorescence to the renewable fibers and cellulosic materials. For example, the “green” surface engineering significantly increases the strength properties (up to 100% in Z ‐strength) of chemi‐thermomechanical pulp (CTMP) and bleached sulphite pulp (BSP)‐derived sheets. Next, performing an organocatalytic silylation with a nontoxic organic acid makes the corresponding lignocellulose and cellulose sheets hydrophobic. A selective color modification of polysaccharides is developed by combining metal‐free catalysis and thiol‐ene click chemistry. Next, fluorescent PE complexes based on cationic starch (CS) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) are prepared and used for modification of CTMP or BSP in the presence of a metal‐free catalyst. Laser‐scanning confocal microscopy reveals that the PE‐strength additive is evenly distributed on the CTMP and heterogeneously on the BSP. The fluorescent CS distribution on the CTMP follows the lignin distribution of the lignocellulosic fibers.