Effect of Nanocellulose Surface Modification with Different Silane Coupling Agents on the Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Composite

초록

Polymer composites have attracted widespread interest due to their versatile properties and broad applications across various industries, including biomedical, aerospace, electronics, and packaging. In this study, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites were fabricated via a melt-mixing process with nanocellulose, a biomass-based nanofiller known for its sustainability and mechanical potential. To improve the compatibility between hydrophilic nanocellulose and hydrophobic TPU matrix, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were surface-modified with two different silane coupling agents: 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and octyltriethoxysilane (OTES). Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were also utilized for comparison as a distinct type of nanocellulose. Mechanical test revealed that the incorporation of nanocellulose reduced the tensile strength and elongation at break of TPU composites. Nevertheless, stiffness was generally enhanced, particularly with surface-modified CNCs. These results highlight the importance of the surface chemistry of nanofillers in engineering the mechanical performance of TPU-based nanocomposites.

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