Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films and conductive CNC-based polymer films produced using electrochemical techniques
AssigneeFPInnovations
InventorsWadood Y. Hamad, Siham Atifi, Neville J. Stead
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Abstract
The present describes a chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) film comprising: cellulose nanocrystals that self-assemble to form an iridescent CNC structure, wherein the self-assembled structure comprises a finger-print pattern of repeating bright and dark regions, defining a pitch of the iridescent film, where the pitch variable. Also described are conductive polymer nanocomposite based on the CNC film. Further described is the electrophoretic method of producing the chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal film as well as the polymer nanocomposites and the apparatus used.
Claims15
A method for producing a chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal film comprising:
- providing a functionalized cellulose nanocrystal suspension;
- providing an electrophoretic deposition system comprising:
- a working electrode;
- a counter electrode;
- a DC power supply;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the working electrode, the counter electrode, the power supply and the controller are operatively connected to produce a pulsed signal,
- immersing the working electrode and the counter electrode in the cellulose nanocrystal suspension;
- and
- applying a voltage of at least 10V across the deposition system to deposit the film on the working electrode.
A method for producing a conductive polymer-cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) composite having a layered cross-section, comprising:
- providing a cellulose nanocrystal suspension;
- providing an electrophoretic deposition system comprising:
- a working electrode;
- a counter electrode;
- a DC power supply;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the working electrode, the counter electrode, the power supply and the controller are operatively connected to produce a pulsed signal,
- immersing the working electrode and the counter electrode in the cellulose nanocrystal suspension/solution, and
- applying a voltage of at least 10V across the deposition system to deposit a cellulose nanocrystal film on the working electrode,
- providing a conductive monomer solution;
- immersing the working electrode with the film in the monomer solution and electropolymerizing the conductive monomer by potentiostatic voltammetry which forms the conductive polymer-CNC composite.
A conductive polymer-cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) composite having a layered cross-section, comprising:
- a chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal comprising:
- a finger-print pattern of repeating bright and dark regions of spherulitic CNC, having a pitch,
- wherein the pattern is that of a plurality of distinct pseudo-planes stacked on each other in a vertical direction along an axis through the pseudo-planes and each adjacent pseudo-plane rotating an incremental fixed distance about the axis with regard to the adjacent pseudo-plane, wherein the distance along the axis required to achieve a 360° rotation of pseudo-planes is the pitch, and
- wherein the self-assembled cellulose nanocrystals are functionalized and the pitch is variable, and
- a conductive polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.