Cellulose fibers modified by silicon dioxide nanoparticles

The sol–gel method is one of the most suitable ways for producing glasses, glass films, glass fibers, and glass nanoparticles. The relatively mild reaction conditions and simplicity of the sol–gel method make it an excellent tool for producing substances with precisely tailored properties. This technique opens the possibility for the synthesis of various new compounds, including pH sensors, ion sensors, bioactive nanoparticles, dyes carriers, and so forth. An attempt was made to combine the sol–gel technique with the advanced technology in the production of cellulose fibers in order to obtain fibers with new and unique properties. Cellulose fibers were prepared with N‐methylmorpholine‐N‐oxide as the direct solvent. The obtained fibers contained up to 30% (w/w) silicon dioxide nanoparticles. In order to observe the influence of the modifier on the fibers, their mechanical properties were examined. Modified fibers were also examined by means of thermogravimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, and 29Si‐NMR solid‐state spectroscopy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 1793–1798, 2005