Natural Fiber Welding

A process we term "natural fiber welding" is demonstrated by which loose fibers are transformed to create a congealed network using an IL solvent. Several examples are discussed that include cellulosic and protein-based materials. SEM shows the fusion of fibers upon treatment. XRD and FT-IR spectroscopy of cellulosic materials show that significant amounts of the native polymer structure are retained after the process is completed. Data suggest that material at the fiber exterior is preferentially transformed while material in the fiber core is left in the native state. Data also demonstrate that the amount of material modified can be tailored by control of variables such as the IL solvent concentration, the process temperature, and the processing time.