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Pritchard, Samantha

University of British Columbia

Cellulose-based papers and films are hydrophilic, and their high affinity with water limits potential applications. Current strategies to modulate film interactions with water include chemical modifications, deposition of particles, and physical patterning. More recently, templating has also been considered to further adjust water interactions. These strategies are often limited by their energy intensive and time-consuming nature. In this work we micropattern the surface of cellulosic films, resulting in a significant modification of their physicochemical properties. We then present a new application for polymerizing natural resin (urushi) coatings by incorporating them into the patterning process to create water-resistant paper products. We combine the fluid flow micropatterning with urushi coating through i) membrane deposition, ii) solution state mixing, and iii) spray coating to retain precise control of the spatial distribution of templated features. We demonstrate that urushiol increases water-resistance of cellulose films and enhances the desirable properties of micropatterned films while increasing durability. Surface roughness is assessed by scanning electron microscopy, and the impact on the materials’ surface energy is measured by contact angle. We use Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis to study the process of urushiol polymerization on cellulose films and show that coatings change water interactions from the Wenzel to the Cassie-Baxter regime, leading to an increased water contact angle. Through collaboration with an industrial designer and urushi artisans, we apply traditional knowledge to our experimental design. Our approach shows a new application for catecholic resin as a green and efficient method to coat microtemplated cellulose films, with potential applications in microfluidic and packaging systems.

Text

2024-09-06

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89200

Chemistry

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/