Hydration of Cellulose/Silica Hybrids Assessed by Sorption Isotherms

The hydration of cellulose/silica hybrids (CSH) containing 13, 35, and 46% (w/w) silica synthesized in situ by a mild sol−gel aqueous process was studied employing sorption isotherms and surface energy measurements. Water sorption is governed by two simultaneous equilibria at the silica−vapor and cellulose−vapor interfaces due to the presence of cellulose regions covered and uncovered with silica as confirmed by X-ray scattering analysis. The important contribution of a water impermeable cellulose−silica interface to the surface properties of CSH is highlighted. CSH exhibit type II isotherms in the temperature range 15−40 °C, more appropriately described by the Guggenheim−Anderson−de Boer (GAB) model than by the Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) model. Specific surface areas calculated using both models (SBET and SGAB) increase linearly with the amount of silica influencing the higher moisture content of CSH for the same water activity. However, the presence of silica reduces the strength of interaction between monolayer water molecules and the CSH surface as revealed by the net isosteric heat of sorption (35 kJ/mol for cellulosic pulp and 26 kJ/mol for CSH with 35% silica). Silica confers a higher surface energy to CSH contributing to its polar component and surface wettability (contact angle with water) when compared to cellulosic pulp. The average diameter of cellulose microfibrils and the interfacial cellulose−silica areas are assessed on the basis of the analysis of sorption isotherms.