Butane Tetracarboxylic Acid as Green Modifier for Tuned Hydrophilicity of Surface Modified Cellulose

This study proposes one straightforward way for butane tetracarboxylic acid modification of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). Esterified cellulose nanofibrils (ECNF) were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The reaction mechanism between tetracarboxylic acid modification and CNF was discussed. The resultant ECNF exhibited improved hydrophobicity in water compared with pure CNF. These results confirmed how esterified (ECNF) biobased nanoparticles with tuned hydrophilicity, obtained by treatment with a low cost, sustainable and easily soluble cross-linker, have the potential for widespread applicability in the field polymeric based nanocomposites having different polarity.