Poly(vinyl alcohol)-lignin blended resin for cellulose-based composites

Wood has limitations in strength because of its biostructural defects, including vessels. To overcome this limitation, composite materials can be innovated by breaking wood down into cellulose and lignin and reassembling them for bio-originating strong structural materials. In this study, an ecofriendly resin was developed that was suitable for cellulose-based composites. To overcome the low dimensional stability of lignin and to increase its interactions with cellulose, it was blended with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The PVA-lignin resin was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, mechanical tensile testing, and lap-shear joint testing. The adhesion properties of the PVA-lignin resin increased with increasing PVA content. PVA played the role of synthetic polymer and that of linker between the cellulose and lignin, like hemicellulose does in wood. The PVA-lignin resin exhibited a high miscibility, mechanical toughness, and good adhesion properties for nanocellulose composites. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46655.