Borrego Algarra, MaríaMartín Alfonso, José EnriqueValencia Barragán, ConcepciónSánchez Carrillo, María CarmenFranco Gómez, José María2023-01-092023-01-092022-11Borrego, M., Martín-Alfonso, J. E., Valencia, C., Sánchez, M. C., & Franco, J. M. (2022). Impact of the Morphology of Electrospun Lignin/Ethylcellulose Nanostructures on Their Capacity to Thicken Castor Oil. In Polymers (Vol. 14, Issue 21, p. 4741). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym142147412073-4360 (electrónico)https://hdl.handle.net/10272/21374This study reports on a novel strategy for manufacturing thickened gel-like castor oil formulations by dispersing electrospun lignin/ethylcellulose nanostructures. These thickened formulations were rheologically and tribologically evaluated with the aim of being proposed as alternative ecofriendly lubricating greases. Low-sulfonate kraft lignin (LSL) and ethylcellulose (EC) were dissolved in a DMAc:THF mixture at different concentrations (8, 10, and 15 wt.%) and LSL:EC ratios (50:50, 70:30, and 90:10) and subjected to electrospinning. The resulting electrospun nanostructures were morphologically characterized. EC acting as the cospinning polymer improved both LSL spinnability and the oil structuring ability. Solutions with a high lignin content achieved microsized particles connected by fibrils, whereas solutions with a high EC content (50:50 ratio) and LSL/EC total concentration (10 and 15 wt.%) yielded beaded or bead-free nanofibers, due to enhanced extensional viscoelastic properties and nonNewtonian characteristics. The gel-like properties of electrospun nanostructure dispersions in castor oil were strengthened with the nanostructure concentration and the EC:LSL ratio, as a result of the formation of a more interconnected fiber network. The oleodispersions studied exhibited a satisfactory frictional response in a tribological contact, with friction coefficient values that were comparable to those achieved with traditional lithium-lubricating greasesengAtribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 Españahttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/LigninEthylcelluloseElectrospinningNanostructureDispersionRheologyjournal article10.3390/polym14214741open access23 Química