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Preparation and recycling property of nanofiber-reinforced polystyrene molded product using the emulsion-forming ability of chitin nanofibers

Polymer Journal volume 54, pages 615–621 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Utilizing the emulsion-forming ability of partially deacetylated chitin nanofibers, a composite with polystyrene was prepared. A partially deacetylated chitin nanofiber aqueous dispersion was added to styrene to obtain an oil in a water-type Pickering emulsion. Using the emulsion, suspension polymerization was performed to obtain polystyrene fine particles covered with chitin nanofibers. The degree of polymerization of polystyrene increased depending on the mixing ratio of chitin nanofibers. The glass transition temperature of polystyrene and the thermal decomposition temperature of the composite increased with the mixing ratio of chitin nanofibers. This composite could be molded by hot pressing, and the molded product was transparent to some extent. Since chitin nanofibers effectively reinforced polystyrene, Young’s modulus, fracture stress, and fracture strain were greatly improved. The optimum mixing ratio of chitin nanofibers for improving mechanical properties was 7%. When the composite was molded by hot pressing again, the mechanical properties did not decrease. Thus, the nanofiber reinforcement material was recyclable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori, 680-8550, Japan

    Koichi Tanabe, Hironori Izawa & Shinsuke Ifuku

  2. Center for Research on Green Sustainable Chemistry, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori, 680-8550, Japan

    Hironori Izawa & Shinsuke Ifuku

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  1. Koichi Tanabe
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  2. Hironori Izawa
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  3. Shinsuke Ifuku
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Contributions

Koichi Tanabe, Hironori Izawa, and Shinsuke Ifuku were involved in study design and data interpretation. Koichi Tanabe and Shinsuke Ifuku were involved in the data analysis. All authors critically revised the report, commented on drafts of the manuscript, and approved the final report.

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Correspondence to Shinsuke Ifuku.

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Tanabe, K., Izawa, H. & Ifuku, S. Preparation and recycling property of nanofiber-reinforced polystyrene molded product using the emulsion-forming ability of chitin nanofibers. Polym J 54, 615–621 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-021-00586-9

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