Surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals with polymeric ionic liquids during phase transfer.

In this study, the cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were prepared by method of acid hydrolysis, while the polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) [PEP-MIM]DBS was synthesized by epichlorohydrin, o-phthalic anhydride as well as N-methylimidazole then anion exchanged by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. It was demonstrated that [PEP-MIM]DBS could modify CNCs by non-covalent interaction to change its surface properties, such as amphiphilicity. The chemical structure of the composite CNCs/[PEP-MIM]DBS was characterized via FTIR, ¹³ C NMR, TGA, XRD, etc. Moreover, the properties and applications were characterized through a series of dispersion experiments, contact angle tests, FE-SEM, etc. This study showed that the PIL-modification improved the dispersion of CNCs in non-polar organic solvents with their chemical structure integrated.
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