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Preparation of synthetic wood composites using ionic liquids

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Abstract

Synthetic wood composite films containing cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, the three major components of natural wood, were prepared in a room temperature ionic liquid solvent, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, [EMIM][Ac]. Various synthetic wood composites were obtained by dissolution of individual wood components together with additives, including polyethylene glycol (PEG), chitosan, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in [EMIM][Ac]. The addition of water affords a gel that was dried in either a low humidity environment or under vacuum. Synthetic wood films showed smoother surface textures, higher water resistance, and higher tensile strengths than cellulose films formed by the same methods. Tailor-made synthetic wood composites were also prepared having a variety of desirable properties, including antimicrobial activities, controlled hydro-phobicity/philicity, high relative dielectric constant, and a high degree of cohesiveness.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Fangxiao Guan from the University of Connecticut for assistance in measurement of dielectrical properties. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Tom Doherty and Dr. Hong Wu for helpful discussion and HPLC measurement of hydrolyzed synthetic wood film. The authors acknowledge the support of Chisso Corporation and the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center for their partial funding of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Trevor J. Simmons, Shyam S. Bale, Jeffrey G. Martin, Jonathan S. Dordick & Robert J. Linhardt

  2. Coordinación para la Innovación y la Aplicación de la Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico

    Trevor J. Simmons

  3. Rensselaer Nanocenter, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Trevor J. Simmons, Jianjun Miao, Minoru Miyauchi, Justin Bult, Jonathan S. Dordick & Robert J. Linhardt

  4. Department of Microbial Engineering, University of Konkuk, Seoul, 143-701, Korea

    Sang Hyun Lee

  5. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Sang Hyun Lee, Jianjun Miao, Tae-Joon Park, Ravi Pangule, Jeffrey G. Martin & Robert J. Linhardt

  6. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Jianjun Miao, Jonathan S. Dordick & Robert J. Linhardt

  7. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Justin Bult

  8. Department of Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA

    Jonathan S. Dordick & Robert J. Linhardt

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  1. Trevor J. Simmons
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  2. Sang Hyun Lee
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  3. Jianjun Miao
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  4. Minoru Miyauchi
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  6. Shyam S. Bale
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  7. Ravi Pangule
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  8. Justin Bult
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  9. Jeffrey G. Martin
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  10. Jonathan S. Dordick
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  11. Robert J. Linhardt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Linhardt.

Electronic supplementary material

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226_2010_395_MOESM1_ESM.doc

HPLC results for standard glucose, xylose, and hydrolyzed synthetic wood film. UV–Vis for lignin content in acidic aqueous solution (DOC 44 kb)

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Simmons, T.J., Lee, S.H., Miao, J. et al. Preparation of synthetic wood composites using ionic liquids. Wood Sci Technol 45, 719–733 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-010-0395-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-010-0395-6

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