| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146141 | Chemical Engineering Journal | 2015 | 7 Pages |
•Thermoplasticity of AWP was achieved by a non-chemical method.•Thermal flowability of AWP was related to the anions of ionic liquids.•DMSO/ILs had good effects on disruption of hydrogen bonds of cellulose.•Mechanical properties of AWP were influenced by the interfacial adhesions.
All-wood plastics (AWP) were produced directly by a non-chemical method. Plasticization of mulberry wood for injection-moulding was achieved after the structural destruction of the wood cell walls in the presence of ILs. Ball-milled mulberry wood (BMMW) was firstly kneaded in the cosolvents of dimethyl sulfoxide/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (DMSO/BMIMCl) and dimethyl sulfoxide/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (DMSO/BMIMAcO), respectively, and AWP were then obtained after the removal of DMSO with ionic liquids (ILs) remained in the final products. The thermal flow and mechanical results revealed that the AWP obtained with DMSO/BMIMAcO exhibited better thermal flowability and mechanical properties than those obtained with DMSO/BMIMCl indicating that the thermoplasticity of AWP is related to the ILs’ anionic ability of destroying the hydrogen bonds networks in the rigid crystalline region of cellulose. In addition, the morphologies of the AWP fractured surface revealed that the interfacial adhesions between flowable wood components and non-flowable particles had obvious effects on the tensile, flexural strength and Young’s modulus of AWP.
Graphical abstractAll-wood plastics (AWP) were produced directly by a non-chemical method. Thermoplasticity of AWP was accomplished due to the disruption of hydrogen bonds of cellulose by the interactions of hydrogen bonds with ILs dispersed into wood fibers by kneading. The conclusions that AWP obtained with DMSO/BMIMAcO exhibited better thermal flowability and mechanical properties than those obtained with DMSO/BMIMCl indicate that thermoplasticity of AWP is related to the interactions between the anions of ILs and hydrogen bonds of cellulose.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide
