Nanowhisker/Polyvinyl Alcohol Composites*1

Cellulose nanowhisker (CNW) isolated from hardwood bleached kraft pulp (HW-BKP) using sulfuric acid hydrolysis was suspended in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and electrospun into composites nanofibers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the CNW to be rod-like, approximately of 16.1 ± 4.6 nm wide and 194 ± 61 nm long, providing an aspect ratio of about 12, with a particle size distribution range of 662.2 ± 301.2 nm. Uniform and high quality CNW/PVA composite nanofibers were successfully manufactured by the electrospinning method. As the CNW loading increases, the viscosity of CNW/PVA solutions shows a minimum at 1 % CNW level which subsequently results in the smallest diameter (193 nm) of electrospun nanofibers. The average diameter of the nanofibers increased up to 284 nm with in-creasing CNW loading. These results suggest that the electrospinning method provides a great potential of manufacturing consistent and reliable nanofibers from CNW/PVA solution for the formation of scaffolds with potentials in future application