Chemical modification of regenerated-cellulose films with determined patterns and different regeneration mediums to achieve superhydrophobic properties

Abstract: In our modern society there is a need to find a material that is biodegradable to reduce the use of plastic for a greener society. By means of superhydrophobic surfaces there is a possibility to replace plastic with cellulose and use Alkyl Ketene Dimer (AKD) as a sizing agent to make the surface hydrophobic. This study has focused on chemically modifying a regenerated cellulose film with determined patterns and different regeneration mediums to achieve superhydrophobic properties with varying amount of AKD. Regenerated-cellulose films with determined patterns were produced in two different patterns of different ratios of AKD. Regenerated-cellulose films with metal strainer as patterns was used with AKD concentration 0 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt% 30 wt%, 40 wt% and 50 wt% and ethanol (EtOH) as regeneration medium. Regenerated-cellulose films with sandpaper as patterns was used AKD with 10 wt%, 20 wt% 30 wt% and 50 wt% and EtOH as regeneration medium. Regenerated-cellulose films with metal strainer and sandpaper as patterns was used with AKD concentration 20 wt% and 30 wt% and Propan-1-ol as regeneration medium. Regenerated-cellulose films with metal strainer and sandpaper as patterns was used with AKD concentration 20 wt% and n-Amyl alcohol as regeneration medium. This is to clarify if contact angle varies depending on the amount of AKD and different patterns. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to characterizing structure. This study found that R-cellulose film with metal strainer as patterns and EtOH as regeneration medium with AKD concentration 30 wt% had the highest contact angle of 141.86 and the SEM images showed the most packed structure. The calculated values of crystallinity index for R-cellulose with sandpaper as pattern and EtOH as regeneration medium at crystal plane 020 for cellulose II had the highest values of CI with 83.71% compared to R-cellulose with metal strainer as pattern.