Effect of Low‐Crystallinity Cellulose Produced by Shear and Cool Milling on Polyamide 6 Composites

ABSTRACT We used low‐crystallinity cellulose (LCC) and recrystallized cellulose (RCC) as bioresource fillers to improve a polymer material (polyamide 6 (PA6)) and thereby contribute to the creation of an ecofriendly society that does not depend on petroleum resources. Because of its strong hydrophilic nature, cellulose must be modified to combine it with hydrophobic resins. The novelty of this study lies in the production of powder‐type LCC through the amorphization of pure cellulose powder in our original shear and cooling milling machine. RCC was obtained by recrystallizing LCC in a thermo‐hygrostat. So far, there has been no report comparing the effects of combining LCC and RCC with plastic resins. In this study, the effects of LCC and RCC on PA6 composites were examined. The composites were characterized via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). DSC results revealed that the addition of the cellulose filler to PA6 increased its crystallization temperature. The melting enthalpy values during the first heating indicated that LCC enhanced the crystallization of PA6 more effectively than RCC. The tensile testing results indicated that the cellulose fillers effectively reinforced PA6, improving its tensile strength. SEM observations of the fracture surfaces of the composites suggested that LCC had better affinity for PA6 than RCC.