Hydroxypropyl cellulose/rice straw oxidized cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposites and their use in paper coating

• Homogenous Hydroxypropyl cellulose HPC/oxidized cellulose nanocrystals (OXCNC) films were prepared.
• OXCNC increased crystallinity, tensile strength, and water vapor permeability of HPC films.
• A mixture of HPC and 10 wt% OXCNC was used for coating bagasse paper sheets.
• Coating paper sheets with HPC/OXCNC mixture improved tensile strength properties, reduced porosity and increased water vapor permeability of paper sheet.

A series of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)/oxidized cellulose nanocrystals (OXCNC) nanocomposites films was prepared via casting and evaporation. OXCNC was used in ratios from 2.5 to 20% in HPC matrix. The prepared nanocomposites films were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), tensile strength properties (TS) and water vapor permeability (WVP). Significant increase in the crystallinity and tensile strength accompanied by an increase in WVP of HPC films occurred as a result of adding OXCNC. HPC/10% OXCNC film was found to possess the maximum tensile strength properties and that composition was chosen for coating bagasse paper sheets. Coating of paper sheets increased TS, WVP and decreased porosity of the paper sheets. The slight increase in WVP of the films and the coated paper sheets was attributed to the hydrophilic nature of OXCNC.