As hard as aluminum and as strong as bone – this is the new biocomposite

Can plant-based materials be durable? As evidenced by the work of the team from MIT, which was published in the journal Cellulose – yes, and this new biocomposite proves it.

The new biocomposite of cellulose nanocrystals is created by drying the gel

To develop a new biocomposite as hard as aluminum and as strong as bone, scientists relied on cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). These are obtained by the acid hydrolysis of the cellulose fibers that make up the cell walls of trees. At the nano-scale level, CNCs are stiffer and stronger than Kevlar, but their connection to other polymers is problematic. This problem was solved by scientists at MIT by combining a commercially available CNC powder with a synthetic liquid polymer in a ratio optimized to obtain a gel.

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They then used an ultrasonic probe to break up any CNC clumps that had formed. This allowed the individual nanocrystals to be dispersed throughout the gel, allowing them to form strong bonds with polymer molecules. Then some of the gel was pressed through the 3D printer’s nozzle and some poured into the mold. In both cases, when the gel then dried and shrunk (this problem is currently being worked on), the end result was a hard body 60 to 90 percent CNC with a brick microstructure to prevent crack propagation.

By creating composites with CNC under heavy load, we can give polymer-based materials mechanical properties that they have never had before. If we can replace some petroleum-based plastics with cellulose that comes from nature, then it’s probably better for the planet as well.

Professor A. John Hart said.

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Tests on this penny-sized composite were found to be “stronger and harder than some types of bone and harder than typical aluminum alloys.” Scientists also made a life-size model of a human tooth from this material to demonstrate how it could one day be used to produce dental implants.