Open Access Received: 04 March 2025   |   Accepted: 04 July 2025   |   Published: 04 July 2025

SOL-GEL SYNTHESIS OF CELLULOSE-SILICA COMPOSITES BASED ON MICRO - AND NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE

Ergashev D.J.^*, Jumaev A.H.^**, Atakhanov A.A.^*, Zhu X.^***

^*Institute of Polymer Chemistry and Physics Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, 100128, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
^**University Bayreuth, Germany, Bayern, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447
^***School of Textile Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, 928 Second Avenue, Xiasha Higher Education Park, 310018

---

Abstract. Sol–gel derived hybrid organic–inorganic materials offer significant advantages for optical and structural applications due to their facile synthesis, ease of shaping and patterning, and excellent mechanical and optical properties. This study focuses on synthesizing novel cellulose-silica composites (CSCs) based on microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) via a modified sol-gel method. The cellulose suspension was initially prepared by homogenizing MCC and CNC in ethanol, followed by incorporation of hydrolyzed TEOS. The structural and morphological characteristics of the composites were analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results confirm successful integration of cellulose and silica, as well as enhanced thermal stability and modified morphology of the composites.

---

Key words. Cellulose nanocrystals, microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose-silica composite, hybrid sol-gel material


DOI: http://uzpolymerjournal.com/articles/article.php?id=250203

*Corresponding author: Ergashev D.J., Chemistry and Physics Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, 100128, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Citation: Ergashev D.J., Jumaev A.H., Atakhanov A.A., Zhu X., SOL-GEL SYNTHESIS OF CELLULOSE-SILICA COMPOSITES BASED ON MICRO - AND NANOCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE. Uzbekistan Journal of Polymers, Vol. 4(2) 2025: pp.23-32. DOI: http://uzpolymerjournal.com/articles/article.php?id=250203

©2025 Uzbekistan Journal of Polymers