Synergistic impact of cellulose nanocrystals with multiple resins on thermal and mechanical behavior

The cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) surface modified with phenolic and acrylic resins were investigated for different properties such as thermally stability and adhesive property, the mechanical properties of CNCs and interactions of the resulting materials at a micro-level are very important. Phenolic resins are of great interest due to their smooth structure, low thermal conductivity and good thermal insulation. However, the high spray rates and poor mechanical properties limit its use for external insulation of buildings. Acrylic resins are used as a matrix resin for adhesives and composites due to their adhesion, mechanical properties, and their good chemical resistance. The brittleness of acrylic resins makes them less attractive than the structural materials, being much harder. For this reason, most of the resins are modified with suitable elastomers, which act as hardeners. Therefore, treatment of these compounds is necessary. In this research paper, the effect of CNCs surface on phenolic and acrylic resins were investigated to obtain an optimized surface using three different weight (wt%) ratios of CNCs. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-rays diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure, and investigate different properties of CNCs. Furthermore, the Zwick/Roell Z020 model was used to investigate the adhesion properties of the phenolic and acrylic resins with CNCs.