Characterization of Nanocelluloses Using Small-Angle Neutron, X-ray and Dynamic Light Scattering Techniques

Published

February 2, 2017

Author(s)

Yimin NMN Mao, Kai Liu, Chengbo Zhan, Lihong Geng, Benjamin Chu, Benjamin S. Hsiao

Abstract

Nanocelluloses extracted from wood pulps using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical)-mediated oxidation and sulfuric-acid hydrolysis methods were characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SANS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The dimensions of these nanocelluloses (TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN) and sulfuric acid hydrolyzed cellulose nanocrystal (SACN)), revealed by the different scattering methods, were compared with those characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SANS and SAXS data were analyzed using parallelepiped-based form factor. The width and thickness of the nanocellulose cross-section were ~8 nm and ~2 nm for TOCN, and ~20 nm and ~3 nm for SACN, respectively, where the fitting results from SANS and SAXS profiles were consistent with each other. DLS was carried out under both VV mode with polarizer and analyzer parallel to each other and HV mode having them perpendicular to each other. Using rotational and translational diffusion coefficients obtained under the HV mode yielded nanocellulose length qualitatively consistent with that observed by TEM, whereas the length derived by translational diffusion coefficient under the VV mode appeared to be overestimated.

Citation

Journal of Physical Chemistry B

Volume

121

Issue

6

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Nanocellulose, SANS, SAXS, DLS, morphology

Citation

, Y. , Liu, K. , Zhan, C. , Geng, L. , Chu, B. and , B. (2017), Characterization of Nanocelluloses Using Small-Angle Neutron, X-ray and Dynamic Light Scattering Techniques, Journal of Physical Chemistry B, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=922284 (Accessed October 11, 2025)