Abstract
The rheology and fiber size of corn stover (CS) and cleaned cotton gin trash (CGT) cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were studied including behaviors at both moderate and extremely high shear rates, to simulate industrial processes ranging from mixing and pumping to high-speed coating, printing, and extrusion. Particle size analyzer showed that 99% of CS fibers measured around 226 nm, while 85% of CGT fibers were approximately 143 nm. Both CS and CGT CNFs formed gel-like suspensions, and shear flow tests revealed that all samples exhibited shear-thinning behavior, allowing easy flow under shear forces. Gels with higher solid content (1%) demonstrated extended viscoelastic regions, indicating improved flexibility, structural integrity, and energy-dispersing capacity. The combination of shear-thinning behavior, flexibility, and energy absorption makes these CNFs promising for applications in papermaking, coatings, packaging, and areas where shock absorption is required.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Publication Date
2-25-2025
Document Type
Article
Department, Program, or Center
Packaging Science
College
College of Engineering Technology
Recommended Citation
Altay, B.N., Aksoy, B., Atkinson, J. et al. Flow dynamics of agricultural waste nanofibers: shear, temperature, and oscillatory insights. Cellulose 32, 3077–3094 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-025-06444-8
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
