Composite material and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A composite material including a nanocellulose core and a metal shell is provided. The metal shell covers a surface of the nanocellulose core. The composite material is nanosized and has high mechanical strength. Additionally, a method of manufacturing the composite material is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite material, comprising:
 a nanocellulose core; and   a metal shell covering a surface of the nanocellulose core.   
     
     
         2 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a length and a diameter of the composite material is between 1.5:1 and 500:1. 
     
     
         3 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the composite material is between 2 nanometers and 200 nanometers. 
     
     
         4 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the composite material is between 50 nanometers and 5000 nanometers. 
     
     
         5 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the nanocellulose core comprises a cellulose nanofibril, a cellulose nanocrystal, a bacterial cellulose, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein the nanocellulose core is solid. 
     
     
         7 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the nanocellulose core is between 2 nanometers and 200 nanometers. 
     
     
         8 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the metal shell comprises gold, silver, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, copper, tungsten, nickel, aluminum, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composite material of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the metal shell is between 2 nanometers and 200 nanometers. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a composite material, comprising:
 providing a nanocellulose core;   modifying the nanocellulose core;   forming metal ions of metal seed generation points on a surface of the modified nanocellulose core;   performing a first reduction reaction to reduce the metal ions of the metal seed generation points to form metal seeds; and   performing a second reduction reaction to reduce the metal ions of the metal seed generation points at the metal seeds to form a metal shell covering the surface of the modified nanocellulose core.   
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein the step of modifying the nanocellulose core comprises performing a substitution reaction on hydroxyl groups on carbons of the nanocellulose core with a metal to form a metal-substituted hydroxyl group. 
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 11 , wherein the metal ions of the metal seed generation points are formed on the metal-substituted hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein the step of modifying the nanocellulose core comprises performing a substitution reaction on the nanocellulose core with potassium hydroxide. 
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein the reducing agent for performing the first reduction reaction and the second reduction reaction comprises ascorbic acid, hydrazine, sodium borohydride, formaldehyde, glucose, sodium citrate, urea, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein the metal ions of the metal seed generation points and a metal precursor for performing the second reduction reaction comprise silver nitrate, silver nitrite, silver sulfate, silver chloride, silver perchlorate, silver cyanate, silver carbonate, silver acetate, gold sulfite, chlorine acid, chloroplatinic acid, copper nitrate, copper sulfate, copper chloride, nickel sulfate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein performing the second reduction reaction further comprises adding a polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 16 , wherein the polymer comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein a reaction temperature for performing the first reduction reaction and the second reduction reaction is between 0 Celsius and 250 Celsius. 
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing the composite material of  claim 10 , wherein a material of the metal shell comprises gold, silver, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, copper, tungsten, nickel, aluminum, or a combination thereof.