Strong and stiff: high performance cellulose nanocrystal/polyvinyl alcohol composite fibers

Mechanical properties of rod7like cellulose nanocry stals (CNCs) offer great potential as bioderived reinforcement in (nano)composites. Polyv inyl alcohol (PVOH) is a useful industrial material and very compatible with CNC ch emistry. High performance CNC/PVOH composite fibers were produced coaxial coagulation spinning, followed by hot7drawing. DSC and WAXS showed that CNCs increase the alignment an d crystallinity of PVOH, as well as providing direct reinforcement, leading to enhanced fiber strength and stiffness. At 40 wt.% CNC loading, the strength and stiffness reached 880 MPa and 29.9 GPa, exceeding the properties of most other nanocellulose based compos ite fibers previously reported