@article{jimenez_ford_2021, title={Mapping wet vs gel spinning in Hansen space}, volume={230}, ISSN={["1873-2291"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124079}, DOI={10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124079}, abstractNote={The composition of coagulation baths for solution spun fibers are typically established through trial and error. No method currently exists to quantifiably differentiate wet from gel fiber spinning. Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) characterize materials using a 3-dimensional coordinate system for dispersive ( δ D ), dipole-dipole ( δ P ), and hydrogen bonding ( δ H ) forces. This coordinate system was used to quantify the affinity of coagulation baths with respect to the polymer in the spinning solution. A correlation based on radial energy distribution (RED) was seen to consistently differentiate wet from gel spinning. If the HSP distance between the coagulation bath and polymer (Ra) is less than or equal to the inherent interaction radius (R o ) of the polymer (RED ≤ 1), coagulant diffusion inward is observed, which is critical for wet spinning. If Ra is greater than R o (RED > 1), negligible amounts of coagulant diffusion inward is observed, which is critical for gel spinning. This quantitative approach has applicability to a range of polymeric materials such as fiber, film, and membrane technologies. • Coagulation can be quantified by Hansen Solubility Parameters. • The relative energy difference (RED) differentiates wet from gel spinning. • Wet spinning is associated with an RED ≤1 in Hansen space. • Gel spinning is associated with an RED >1 in Hansen space.}, journal={POLYMER}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Jimenez, Javier and Ford, Ericka}, year={2021}, month={Sep} }
 @article{biswas_dwyer_jimenez_su_ford_2021, title={Strengthening Regenerated Cellulose Fibers Sourced from Recycled Cotton T-Shirt Using Glucaric Acid for Antiplasticization}, url={https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides2010010}, DOI={10.3390/polysaccharides2010010}, abstractNote={The recycling of cellulose from cotton textiles would minimize the use of virgin crop fibers, but recycled polymers are generally inferior in mechanical performance to those made from virgin resins. This challenge prompted the investigation of biobased additives that were capable of improving the mechanical properties of fibers by means of antiplasticizing additives. In this study, regenerated cellulose (RC) fibers were spun from cellulose found in cotton T-shirts, and fibers were mechanically strengthened with glucaric acid (GA), a nontoxic product of fermentation. The recycled pulp was activated using aqueous sodium hydroxide and then followed by acid neutralization, prior to the direct dissolution in lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) at 3 wt.% cellulose. At 10% (w/w) GA, the tensile modulus and strength of regenerated cellulose from recycled cotton fibers increased five-fold in contrast to neat fibers without GA. The highest modulus and tenacity values of 664 cN/dtex and of 9.7 cN/dtex were reported for RC fibers containing GA.}, journal={Polysaccharides}, author={Biswas, Manik Chandra and Dwyer, Ryan and Jimenez, Javier and Su, Hsun-Cheng and Ford, Ericka}, year={2021}, month={Mar} }