Article
Chemistry, Applied
Francesco D'Acierno, Ryutaro Ohashi, Wadood Y. Hamad, Carl A. Michal, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Chiral nematic and iridescent cellulose nanocrystal films with different monovalent cations exhibit high thermal stability during annealing, yet experience reductions in iridescence, birefringence, and transparency, along with formation of degradation products. Despite these changes, the films show potential for applications as temperature indicators and photonic devices.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xiu Dong, Ze-Lian Zhang, Yu-Yao Zhao, Dong Li, Zi-Li Wang, Chen Wang, Fei Song, Xiu-Li Wang, Yu-Zhong Wang
Summary: By introducing positively charged polymer, angle-independent structural color CNC composite films have been developed, showing promising applications in sensing, anti-counterfeit, and decoration technology.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Francesco D'Acierno, Kiavash Bakrani, Wadood Y. Hamad, Carl A. Michal, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: The properties of cellulose nanocrystal films can be modified through external stimuli. By treating the suspension prior to casting, the optical and thermal properties of the films can be tuned. The synthesis of films with different properties enables unprecedented photonic and thermal control. The effects of the stimuli can be used to predict and choose desired characteristics.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yahui Meng, Yunfeng Cao, Kaifeng Xiong, Li Ma, Wenyuan Zhu, Zhu Long, Cuihua Dong
Summary: Intelligent packaging films play an important role in food preservation and freshness detection. The addition of cellulose nanocrystals can significantly improve the properties of pH-sensing films and expand their application range.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yahui Meng, Zhu Long, Zhibin He, Xiaotong Fu, Cuihua Dong
Summary: This study investigated the impact of different molecular weight glucans on iridescent CNC composite films, demonstrating that glucans can enhance mechanical performance and tunable structural color. The iridescent films showed a reversible color change in response to environmental humidity, making them potentially useful for applications in decoration, optical sensing, and anti-counterfeiting.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Huan Gao, Miguel A. Soto, Joanna K. Szymkowiak, Lucas J. Andrew, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were incorporated into cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films to prepare organic-inorganic composite films with enhanced mechanical properties and maintained iridescence. The hybrid composite films containing 10 wt% HNTs exhibited increased elasticity, with a 1.3-fold increase in tensile strength and a 1.6-fold increase in maximum strain compared to pristine CNC films. Additionally, the incorporation of HNTs slightly improved the thermal stability of the composite films. These materials mimic the hybrid composite structures of crab shells and provide enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability for CNC films while preserving iridescence.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lorenzo Lisuzzo, Maria Rita Caruso, Giuseppe Cavallaro, Stefana Milioto, Giuseppe Lazzara
Summary: The design and preparation of novel HPC/wax/halloysite nanocomposites have led to films with good hydrophobic properties and surface protection capabilities. Based on measurements of contact angle, sliding angle, and vapor permeability of the composite materials, these composites show potential gas barrier effects.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Wenna Ge, Quanmao Wei, Fusheng Zhang, Zhixin Feng, Xiangge Bai, Shile Feng, Guangyan Qing, Yahua Liu
Summary: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) exhibit sensitive chemoselectivity and precise structure modulation, providing insights into various practical applications.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yizhuo Xu, Dingyuan Zheng, Xiaojian Chen, Wenrui Yao, Yuning Wang, Zihao Zheng, Haiyan Tan, Yanhua Zhang
Summary: Mussel-inspired polydopamine decorated cellulose nanocrystals were used as nanofillers to improve the compatibility and mechanical properties of polylactic acid. The introduction of polydopamine enhanced the interfacial adhesion between the nanocrystals and polylactic acid, resulting in improved tensile strength and elongation at break. The polydopamine also provided UV-shielding properties, making it suitable for light-sensitive packaging applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Wei Fan, Jiaqi Li, Lihong Wei, Yan Xu
Summary: By using carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals with different aspect ratios and surface charge densities, it is possible to produce left-handed chiral nematic films that selectively reflect left-handed circularly polarized light.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Benjamin E. Droguet, Hsin-Ling Liang, Bruno Frka-Petesic, Richard M. Parker, Michael F. L. De Volder, Jeremy J. Baumberg, Silvia Vignolini
Summary: This study achieved large-scale fabrication of cellulose nanocrystal photonic films in a roll-to-roll device by optimizing the formulation and deposition process. It demonstrated the potential of cellulose nanocrystals as sustainable materials for industrial applications, producing effect pigments and glitters as alternatives to existing products that may be harmful or unsustainable.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Vipawan Pitpisutkul, Jutarat Prachayawarakorn
Summary: Incorporating carboxymethyl starch and zinc oxide nanoparticles into hydroxypropyl methylcellulose film can improve its limitations for wound dressing application. The resulting films have increased moisture uptake, water vapor transmission rate, oxygen transmission rate, and antibacterial activity.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chuanwei Miao, Lacey Reid, Y. Wadood Hamad
Summary: Portable and flexible electronics require lightweight, sustainable, durable, and low-cost piezoelectric materials. The study explores inexpensive organic materials and bio-derived materials as promising options. Research on the commercialization of ferroelectric polymers like PVDF, as well as understanding the electromechanical properties of bio-derived materials are important for future developments.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ravi Shanker, Prasaanth Ravi Anusuyadevi, Sampath Gamage, Tomas Hallberg, Hans Kariis, Debashree Banerjee, Anna J. Svagan, Magnus P. Jonsson
Summary: This study demonstrates the fabrication of cellulose films with color-selective reflection and high thermal emissivity using cellulose nanocrystals. The films effectively reduce the temperature under solar illumination, providing a scalable platform for colored radiative cooling.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuxia Luo, Zhuo Chen, Ping He, Qingdi Liu, Zemin He, Yuzhen Zhao, Hao Ma, Liye Li, Zhao Zhang, Xinping Li, Qing Han
Summary: A new design for chiral photonic cellulose nanocrystal films was developed by co-assembling lanthanide-doped nanorods into chiral cellulose nanocrystals, which allows for tuning the photonic band gap in the visible range by changing the mass fraction of flexible agents. The luminescence modulation in these nanocrystal films is achieved due to the band edge effect, enhancing the down-conversion and up-conversion luminescence. These biocompatible photonic cellulose nanocrystal films show great potential in applications such as optical coding, optical resonators, and biocompatible lasers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yi-Tao Xu, Christopher M. Walters, Francesco D'Acierno, Wadood Y. Hamad, Carl A. Michal, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Water-resistant covalently crosslinked chiral photonic composite films of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been developed by incorporating epoxy resin (ER), demonstrating mechanical adaptability and responsive chiral optical properties in water.
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zongzhe Li, Miguel A. Soto, James G. Drummond, D. Mark Martinez, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: This study reports a novel strategy to synthesize cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) gels with tunable mechanical properties. By applying sequential freeze-thaw cycling and hydrothermal treatments, a series of pristine CNC hydrogels and lightweight CNC aerogels were successfully prepared. The mechanical, microstructural, and thermal properties of these materials were investigated, demonstrating their potential applications in various fields.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Miguel A. Soto, Veronica Carta, Ingrid Suzana, Brian O. Patrick, Francesco Lelj, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Macrocycle engineering is a key topic in supramolecular chemistry. This study combines different approaches and post-synthetic modifications to transform a single tether into multiple rings. The macrocycles undergo redox reactions, allowing for control of conformational changes and host activity, enabling the capture and release of guests, ring transformations, and control of pseudorotaxane-to-pseudorotaxane conversions.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucas J. Andrew, Christopher M. Walters, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Composite films of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and polymers were prepared by solvent evaporation, and the effects of different polymers on CNC self assembly were investigated. It was found that PVP physically adsorbs to the surface of CNCs, resulting in a blue shift in film color with increasing concentration and polymer molecular weight. PEG induces depletion interactions that decrease the size of chiral nematic CNC domains, but has negligible effect on film color. PAA hydrogen bonds to the hydroxyl groups of CNCs, resulting in a blue shift in color along with interesting rheological and liquid-state properties.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingcong Xu, Zhen Xu, Miguel A. Soto, Yi-Tao Xu, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: This study demonstrates that cellulose nanocrystal shape-memory polymers (CNC-SMPs) with luminescent components enable mechanically responsive circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). The chiral nematic organization of CNCs in the material allows for precise control of CPL emission with varied wavelengths and high dissymmetry factors (g(lum)). Moreover, colorimetric and CPL-active patterns are created by imprinting desired forms into SMP samples. This study presents a novel way to fabricate smart CPL systems using biomaterials.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Miguel A. Soto, Mohammad T. Chaudhry, Gunwant K. Matharu, Francesco Lelj, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Despite their unique potential, metal-metal bonds have seldom been studied as active components in supramolecular assemblies. In this research, a dynamic molecular container named "flytrap" was constructed using Pt-Pt bonds, and its flexible jaw can adapt to bind large inorganic cations. The flytrap was characterized spectroscopically and crystallographically, and its photochemical assembly was reported, which enables the capture and transport of ions. Additionally, the reversible nature of the Pt-Pt bond allows for the regeneration of the flytrap's starting material. The advances presented here could be applied to assemble other molecular containers and materials for substrate harvesting from solution.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kyoungil Cho, Lucas J. Andrew, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) nanocrystals were grown uniformly on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) surface to produce ZIF@CNCs hybrid material. By adjusting the component stoichiometry, the size of ZIF-8 crystals on CNC surface could be controlled. ZIF@CNC-2 was optimized and used as a template to synthesize microporous organic polymer (MOP), ZIF@MOP@CNC. After etching ZIF-8, a MOP material with enclosed CNCs (MOP@CNC) was formed. Zinc coordination into MOP porphyrin unit resulted in ship-in-a-bottle structure, Zn MOP@CNC, where CNCs were encapsulated within Zn-MOP. Compared to ZIF@CNC-2, Zn MOP@CNC exhibited superior catalytic activity and chemical stability for CO2 fixation, converting epichlorohydrin to chloroethylene carbonate. This work presents a novel method of creating porous materials using CNC templating.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Francesco D'Acierno, Carl A. Michal, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive literature review on the thermal stability of cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs). It identifies five major factors affecting CNMs' thermal stability and establishes a quantitative relationship between thermal stability and seven variables using multiple linear least-squares regression. The findings of this study can guide the design of CNMs with predictable thermal properties and the identification of optimal conditions for achieving high thermal stability.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lucas J. Andrew, Emma R. Gillman, Christopher M. Walters, Erlantz Lizundia, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: This paper presents a novel chiral nematic activated carbon aerogel material based on renewable cellulose, which exhibits high specific surface area and superparamagnetic behavior, making it suitable for supercapacitor applications.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Madhureeta Das Gupta, Charlotte E. Boott, Jennifer E. Goon, Brian O. Patrick, Mark J. MacLachlan, Jolene P. Reid
Summary: Supramolecular nanofibers with a narrow length distribution were obtained through the self-assembly of a tris-salphen complex. The length of the nanofibers could be easily adjusted while maintaining low dispersity by controlling the self-assembly conditions. Crystal structure analysis and density functional theory calculations indicated the presence of a metastable aggregate, which transforms into longer supramolecular nanofibers upon heating. The controlled molecular assembly of these complexes may have significant implications for catalysis, electronics, and optical applications.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Amanda J. Ackroyd, Adam De Paolis, Yi-Tao Xu, Arash Momeni, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: Biological systems utilize limited degrees of freedom to drive self-assembly of nano- and microarchitectures. Simplified systems, such as colloidal nanoparticles, can mimic biological structures. In this study, the self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was investigated in geometries with square cross-sections, revealing a radial shell structure formed by the chiral nematic phase of CNCs under confinement. These findings contribute to the understanding of self-assembling systems and the development of new technologies.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zongzhe Li, Karl Tsang, Yi-Tao Xu, James G. G. Drummond, D. Mark Martinez, Mark J. J. MacLachlan
Summary: Understanding the fundamental properties of chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogels is crucial for expanding their potential applications. We report on the directional thermal and mechanical properties of CNC aerogels and have discovered unexpected differences in thermal conductivity and mechanical strength between different surfaces. These findings are important for understanding the nature of CNC aerogels and expanding their potential applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Huan Gao, Miguel A. Soto, Joanna K. Szymkowiak, Lucas J. Andrew, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: In this study, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were incorporated into cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films to prepare organic-inorganic composite films with enhanced mechanical properties and maintained iridescence. The hybrid composite films containing 10 wt% HNTs exhibited increased elasticity, with a 1.3-fold increase in tensile strength and a 1.6-fold increase in maximum strain compared to pristine CNC films. Additionally, the incorporation of HNTs slightly improved the thermal stability of the composite films. These materials mimic the hybrid composite structures of crab shells and provide enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability for CNC films while preserving iridescence.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Mohammad T. Chaudhry, Brian O. Patrick, Shigehisa Akine, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: This study investigated the binding properties of metal-free Salphen macrocycles. The results showed that these macrocycles have strong binding abilities to spherical cationic guests, with K+ and Na+ exhibiting the highest binding affinities. However, larger steric demanding cationic guests showed little to no binding. The binding pocket of the macrocycle is slightly smaller than the traditional 18-crown-6 structure, leading to guest binding outside the cavity and the formation of 2:1 complexes.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Arash Momeni, Wadood Y. Hamad, Mark J. MacLachlan
Summary: We demonstrate for the first time that continuous rotation of a mixture of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and monomer in a capillary tube results in well-organized structures. This method can be used to develop core-shell fibers with potential applications in the field of optics.