Mechanical Characterization of Nanocelluloses/Cellulose Acetate Composite Nanofibrous Membranes

Abstract Extensive research on membrane technologies stems from the necessity for drinking water purification, wastewater treatment, and recycling polluted water by filtration. For the successful commercialization of a filtration process, the improvement of the mechanical properties of membrane systems is an essential factor. Pressure-driven membrane filtration processes require sufficient mechanical strength to withstand operational conditions. In this study, cellulose acetate composite nanofibrous membranes, including nanocelluloses as reinforcing additives, were synthesized by the electrospinning technique. The polymer solutions were prepared from different weight percentages of Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxyl- (TEMPO) oxidized Cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNFs) from 0 to 1 wt.\% and 15 wt\% of Cellulose Acetate (CA). The impacts of heat post treatment process on the mechanical properties of composite electrospun nanofibrous membranes (ENMs) has been studied. The chemical and physical properties of the composite ENMs were investigated. The morphological structure of ultimate composite ENMs was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the chemical interactions were demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A tensile test was performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of the composite ENMs. The highest tensile strength was achieved for heat-treated 0.25TOCNF/CA composite nanofibrous membrane. These results verify that modifying morphology and improving mechanical strength expand the application of electrospun nanofibrous membranes in water purification processes.