IN-SITU POLYMERIZED SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF NANO-ZnO/PEG/PET COMPOSITE

Nano-ZnO particle （nZnOp） reinforced polyethylene glycol （PEG）/polyethylene terephthalate （PET） （nZnOp/PEG/PET） copolymeric composites with different mass fractions and molecular weights of PEG are synthesized via in-situ polymerization. The dispersion of nZnOp in copolymer matrixes and the effects of PEG and nZnOp particles on the crystallization behavior of the composites are studied by TEM, differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）, XRD and Fourier thansform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR ）. The results reveal that nZnOp particles are dispersed in the matrixes with nano-scale, and the addition of PEG induces more homogeneous dispersion of nZnOp. Simultaneously, these nanoparticles become nucleating centers during the crystallization of the matrixes. PEG segments can improve the flexibility of the PET molecular chain, resulting in the drop of the cold crystallization temperature and the rise of the crystallization rate of the composites. Furthermore, PEG （4 000） with the mass fraction of 10% can promote the crystallization rate of the composites. The mechanical properties show that the nano-particles strengthen and toughen the PET matrix, whereas PEG weakens these improve- ments.

Effect of Ultra-Turrax on Nanocellulose Produced by Acid Hydrolysis and Modified by Nano ZnO by Sol-Gel Method

Cellulose nanocrystals (NCC) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were obtained by a single step process, with synergy between 64% sulfuric acid hydrolysis and high shear from ultra-turrax stirring, which is an advantageous process for disintegrating cellulose microcrystalline and also may improve the hydrolysis process. The surface modification on the cellulose was performed by the sol-gel process, in which the sulfate groups from hydrolysis were replaced by nanoparticles of zinc oxide, which led to the increase of up to 54°C Tonset, according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results. The morphology and crystallinity degree were characterized by Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the ZnO band was observed in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, furthermore, the change in the zeta potential confirmed the cellulose modification. The changes in the values of proton spin-spin relaxation time for the systems showing the confined hydrogen in the rigid domains, confirmed the results observed with the aforementioned techniques, for both cellulose after hydrolysis and ZnO modified cellulose, suggesting that ZnO disrupted crystal formation in cellulose.