Study on structure and phase transition of an eco-friendly ferroelectric composite prepared from cellulose nanoparticles mixed with Rochelle salt

ABSTRACT

An eco-friendly ferroelectric nanocomposite from cellulose nanoparticles (CNP) and Rochelle salt (RS) at different composition mass ratios was synthesized for clarifying phase transition anomalies after carefully characterizing by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The dielectric experiments were conducted in a temperature range from 5°C to 60°C under a weak electric field (2 V/cm) at 1 kHz. The obtained results indicated the presence of the upper Curie point characteristic for volume part of RS in the composite and an additional higher-temperature phase transition which was shifted toward higher temperature with increasing CNP content. Besides, at relatively high CNP content, the ferroelectric phase of RS maintained up to its decomposition temperature. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed between cellulose and Rochelle salt is assumed to be responsible for the obtained anomalies.

KEYWORDS:

• Ferroelectric nanocomposites
• Rochelle salt
• nanocellulose
• phase transition
• hydrogen bonds

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Hoai Thuong Nguyen http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1290-5221

Additional information

Funding

This research is funded by Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, Project Number 192.Đ02.