Surface Modification of Cellulose Nanocrystal Through Dendrimer with Amine End Groups

Cellulose nanocrystal with the presence of a large number of chemical functionalities within its structure, provides a unique platform for significant surface modification through various chemistries. Using dendrimer for this purpose is a unique choice that not only does shield hydroxyl groups and change surface charge but also introduce several functional groups on its surface. In this work surface modification of cellulose nanocrystal through dendrimer with amine end groups by physical adsorption technique was conducted to decrease its negative charge while increasing surface functional groups and its antibacterial properties. The result was analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Zetasizer instrument. It was found that due to strong hydrogen bonds the result of physical adsorption reaction is comparable with chemical grafting and is an efficient route for surface modification of cellulose nanocrystal.