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Revealing pore size distribution in cellulose and lignin-cellulose man-made fibers – effect of draw ratio and lignin content
Summary
Researchers measured the pore structure of cellulose and lignin-cellulose fibers using thermoporometry (a technique that uses freezing point changes to detect tiny pores) and found that drying the fibers causes partial, irreversible pore collapse that changes their internal architecture. The findings have implications for designing cellulose-based materials — a biodegradable alternative to synthetic plastics — where controlling pore structure determines performance.
Abstract There are limited methods available for measurement of the porosity of cellulose fibers, even more so for obtaining a pore size distribution. Conventional pore analysis methods require dry samples, with intact pores. However, pores in cellulose fibers collapse when dried from water and thus present a challenge for sample analysis. Furthermore, the pore collapse is partially irreversible which should be accounted for in the analysis. In this study, analysis of pore structure was carried out in the wet state with thermoporometry and also for critical point dried samples, analyzed with N 2 sorption. This study determines the effect of fiber lignin content and certain spinning parameters on the pore size distribution of spun fibers before and after drying. It could also be concluded that solvent exchange, drying from a non-polar solvent will result in an altered pore size distribution, with a total pore volume greater than if dried from water, however not representative of the never-dried state. It is concluded that thermoporometry together with the water retention value (WRV) measurement is a powerful combination to acquire insights to the pore size distribution of spun fiber.
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