Thermal degradation of nano-cellulose hybrid materials containing reactive polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

Nano-cellulose hybrids containing reactive polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (R-POSS) were synthesized by staring crosslinking reaction using reactive polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane containing multi-N-methylol groups. Thermal degradation properties of nano-cellulose hybrid materials containing R-POSS were investigated by TGA and DSC. Surface chemical ingredients of the nano-cellulose hybrids were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Chemical structure and morphology of charred residue were analyzed by SEM, FT-IR, and 13CNMR. The results show that nano-cellulose hybrids obtained obviously improved their elastic properties. The atom percent of silicone in the nano-cellulose hybrids were obvious higher than that of control sample. The incorporation of R-POSS in the cellulose slightly decreased the thermal degradation temperature. Chemical structure of charred residue was mainly inorganic SiOxCy network structure. SiOxCy net frameworks formed maintain fiber shape after mass loss of 91%.