Enhancing poly(glycerol sebaceate) elastomers with cellulose nanocrystals from post-consumer cotton fabrics: effect of cnc surface chemistry Maria-Ximena Ruiz-Caldas and Aji Mathew Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden Elastomers are a class of polymers that possess unique mechanical properties, including elasticity, flexibility, and high elongation at break. Their ability to deform under stress and recover their original shape upon release makes them widely used in various applications, such as automotive, construction, and consumer products. In recent years, the synthesis of elastomers through safe and sustainable routes has gained increasing attention due to their potential to replace conventional elastomers and mitigate environmental impacts. Among this new wave of elastomers, poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a promising material that has gained attention in recent decades due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable properties 1 . PGS is commonly synthesized from glycerol and sebacic acid, both of which are renewable and non-toxic, and some of its properties can be tailored by adjusting the ratio of glycerol to sebacic acid 2 . Multiple authors have reported the addition of additives, such as bioglass 3 , carbon nanotubes 4 , and cellulose nanocrystals 5 , to obtain PGS-based composites with enhanced physical properties. Although CNCs have been reported as reinforcing agents in PGS elastomers, there is a lack of research investigating how CNC surface chemistry affects the mechanical and thermal properties of PGS composites. In our recent works 6,7 , we successfully obtained cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from cotton-based waste fabrics using different extraction routes, resulting in CNCs with equivalent properties to those extracted from virgin sources and with diverse CNCs surface chemistries. The surface chemistry of these nanoparticles could impact the physical and chemical interactions at the elastomer-nanoparticle interface and the cross-linking of the PGS polymer chains, ultimately affecting their mechanical and thermal properties. To address this knowledge gap, we aim to investigate the influence of CNC chemistry on the final properties of CNC-PGS composites. We synthesize these composites without the use of solvents, using CNC/glycerol dispersions, and through the classic routes for PGS synthesis. Through our research, we aim to investigate the effect of different CNC surface chemistries on the mechanical and thermal properties of PGS-based composites, highlight a potential use of CNCs extracted from discarded garments, and explore the potential of CNC-PGS composites in various fields. References 1. Y. Wang, G. A. Ameer, B. J. Sheppard and R. Langer, Nat Biotechnol, 2002, 20, 602–606. 2. X. Li, A. T-L Hong, N. Naskar and H.-J. Chung, DOI:10.1021/acs.biomac.5b00018. 3. S. Liang, W. D. Cook and Q. Chen, Polym Int, 2012, 61, 17–22. 4. A. K. Gaharwar, A. Patel, A. Dolatshahi-Pirouz, H. Zhang, K. Rangarajan, G. Iviglia, S.-R. Shin, M. A. Hussain and A. Khademhosseini, Biomater Sci, 2015, 3, 46–58. 5. L. Zhou, H. He, C. Jiang and S. He, J Appl Polym Sci, DOI:10.1002/APP.42196. 6. M.-X. Ruiz-Caldas, J. Carlsson, I. Sadiktsis, A. Jaworski, U. Nilsson and A. P. Mathew, ACS Sustain Chem Eng, 2022, 10, 3787–3798. 7. M.-X. Ruiz-Caldas, V. Apostolopoulou-Kalkavoura, A.-K. Hellström, J. Hildenbrand, M. Larsson, A. Jaworski, J. S. M. Samec, P. Lahtinen, T. Tammelin and A. P. Mathew, J Mater Chem A Mater, 2023, 11, 6854–6868.
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