Exploring Cellulose Triacetate Nanofibers as Sustainable Structuring Agent for Castor Oil: Formulation Design and Rheological Insights

Abstract

Developing gelled environmentally friendly dispersions in oil media is a hot topic for many applications. This study aimed to investigate the production of electrospun cellulose triacetate (CTA) nanofibers and to explore their potential application as a thickening agent for castor oil. The key factors in the electrospinning process, including the intrinsic properties of CTA solutions in methylene chloride (DCM)/ethanol (EtOH), such us the shear viscosity, surface tension, and electrical conductivity, were systematically studied. The impact of the CTA fiber concentration and the ratio of DCM/EtOH on the rheological properties of the gel-like dispersions in castor oil was then investigated. It was found that dispersions with a non-Newtonian response and above a critical concentration (5 wt.%), corresponding to approximately 2–2.5 times the entanglement concentration, are required to produce defect-free nanofibers. The average fiber diameter increased with CTA concentration. Further, the morphology and texture of the electrospun nanofibers are influenced by the ratio of solvents used. The rheological properties of dispersions are strongly influenced by the concentration and surface properties of nanofibers, such as their smooth or porous textures, which allow their modulation. Compared to other commonly used thickeners, such as synthetic polymers and metal soaps, CTA electrospun nanofibers have a much higher oil structuring capacity. This work illustrated the potential of using CTA nanofibers as the foundation for fabricating gel-like dispersions in oil media, and thus exerting hierarchical control of rheological properties through the use of a nanoscale fabrication technique.