Volume 55, Issue 12 p. 2706-2713
Article

Influence of carboxymethylation on the surface physical–chemical properties of glucuronoxylan and arabinoxylan films

Nena Velkova

Nena Velkova

TT Okroglica d.d., 5293 Volčja Draga, Slovenia

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Aleš Doliška

Aleš Doliška

Frutarom Etol d.o.o., Škofja vas 39, SI-3211 Škofja vas, Slovenia

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Lidija Fras Zemljič

Lidija Fras Zemljič

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering Materials and Design, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

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Alenka Vesel

Alenka Vesel

Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia

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Bodo Saake

Bodo Saake

Chemical Wood Technology, Department of Wood Science, University of Hamburg, 21031 Hamburg, Germany

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Simona Strnad

Corresponding Author

Simona Strnad

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering Materials and Design, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

Correspondence to: S. Strnad; e-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
First published: 09 January 2015
Citations: 16

Abstract

Xylans were carboxymethylated in order to increase their anionic nature and thus tune their surface free energy (SFE) and hydrophilicity, which are of crucial importance in the majority of special applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and polyelectrolyte titration results confirmed the successful carboxymethylation of the xylan samples. The main aim of this study was to investigate the influences of carboxymethylation of glucuronoxylan and arabinoxylans on the surface physical and chemical properties of the films made from them. Films were prepared by the casting method, and their surface morphologies were analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The surface chemical compositions of the films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their influences on SFE, i.e., Lifshitz–van der Waals and electron donor and acceptor contributions, were determined using goniometry. The introduction of ∼2 mmol/g of carboxyl groups into the glucuronoxylan or arabinoxylan molecular structures had a significant influence on the chemical and physical surface properties of the prepared films. Higher amounts of the carboxyl group present on the films' surfaces and higher surface roughness contributed to a significant increase (by 270%) in the electron donor component of SFE and to 40% improvements in the hydrophilicities of the films' surfaces. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2706–2713, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers