Preparation of all-cellulose composite by selective dissolving of cellulose surface in PEG/NaOH aqueous solution

Here, PEG/NaOH aqueous solution, a recently reported solvent system for cellulose was utilized to prepare an all-cellulose composite. The composite was produced from commercial filter paper by converting a selective dissolved fiber surface into a matrix. The morphology, crystalline structure, mechanical and optical properties of this composite was investigated by the wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), universal tensile tester, and optical microscope. The results revealed that the all-cellulose composites had a high mechanical performance and an optical transparency. The effect of processing conditions on the interfacial bonding and therefore the mechanical performance of the final composites has also been investigated.