Thiol-based chemistry as versatile routes for the effective functionalization of cellulose nanofibers

Thiolated non-conjugated nano polymer network for advanced mercury removal from water

Developing advanced adsorbents for selectively deducing mercury (Hg) in water to one billionth level is of great significance for public health and ecological security, but achieving the balance among efficiency, cost and environmental friendliness of adsorbents still faces enormous challenges. Herein, we present a high thiol content non-conjugated nano polymer network (PVB-SH) through simple microemulsion polymerization for efficient Hg ion (Hg(II)) removal. The PVB-SH is prepared by conventional commercial reagents and does not consume toxic organic solutions. This nano network reveals uniformly distributed nano sizes, leading to good accessibility of adsorption sites. The long and flexible polymer chains in the network allow two thiol sites to coordinate with one Hg(II), displaying significantly stronger binding than 1:1 coordination. Therefore, PVB-SH shows high affinity toward Hg(II) (Kd = 3.04 × 107 mL/g) and can selectively reduce Hg(II) in water to extremely low level of 0.14 μg/L, well below the safe limit of 2 μg/L. PVB-SH possesses excellent renewability (removal efficiency = 99.58 % after 10 regenerations), good resistance to various environmental factors (pH, ions and organic matter) and long-term stability in acid, alkali, and salt solutions. Impressively, PVB-SH is further made into a membrane by simple phase-inversion and can effectively purify 1592.4 L/m2 Hg(II) polluted drinking water before the breakthrough point of 2 μg/L. These results demonstrate the good practical potential of PVB-SH for decontamination of Hg from aqueous media.

Innovative Preparation of Cellulose-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles for Multipurpose Applications: Experiment and Molecular Docking Studies

In recent years, inorganic metal nanoparticle fabrication by extraction of a different part of the plant has been gaining more importance. In this research, cellulose-mediated Ag nanoparticles (cellulose/Ag NPs) with excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties and photocatalytic activity have been synthesized by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. This method is a green, simple, and low-cost method that does not use any other capping or reducing agents. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques were used to investigate the structure, morphology, as well as components of the generated cellulose/Ag NPs. In fact, XRD results confirm the formation of the face-centered cubic phase of Ag nanoparticles, while the FTIR spectra showed that the synergy of carbohydrates and proteins is responsible for the formation of cellulose/Ag NPs by the green method. It was found that the green-synthesized silver nanoparticles showed good crystallinity and a size range of about 20-30 nm. The morphology results showed that cellulose has a cavity-like structure and the green-synthesized Ag NPs were dispersed throughout the cellulose polymer matrix. In comparison to cellulose/Ag NPs and Ag nanoparticles, cellulose/Ag NPs demonstrated excellent antibacterial activity, Proteus mirabilis (MTCC 1771) possessed a maximum inhibition zone of 18.81.5 mm at 2.5 g/mL, and Staphylococcus aureus (MTTC 3615) had a minimum inhibition zone of 11.30.5 mm at 0.5 g/mL. Furthermore, cellulose/Ag NPs also exhibited a significant radical scavenging property against the DDPH free radical, and there was a higher degradation efficiency compared to pure Ag NPs against Rhodamine B as 97.38% removal was achieved. Notably, cellulose/Ag NPs remarkably promoted the transfer and separation of photogenerated electron-hole (e-/h+) pairs, thereby offering prospective application of the photodegradation efficiency for Rhodamine B (RhB) as well as antibacterial applications. With the findings from this study, we could develop efficient and environmentally friendly cellulose/Ag nanoparticles using low-cost, environmentally friendly materials, making them suitable for industrial and technological applications.

Biodegradable Nanofiber/Metal-Organic Framework/Cotton Air Filtration Membranes Enabling Simultaneous Removal of Toxic Gases and Particulate Matter

The typical filters that protect us from harmful components, such as toxic gases and particulate matter (PM), are made from petroleum-based materials, which need to be replaced with other environmentally friendly materials. Herein, we demonstrate a route to fabricate biodegradable and dual-functional filtration membranes that effectively remove PM and toxic gases. The membrane was integrated using two layers: (i) cellulose-based nanofibers for PM filtration and (ii) metal-organic framework (MOF)-coated cotton fabric for removal of toxic gases. Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) was grown from the surface of the cotton fabric by the treatment of cotton fabric with an organic precursor solution and subsequent immersion in an inorganic precursor solution. Cellulose acetate nanofibers (NFs) were deposited on the MOF-coated cotton fabric via electrospinning. At the optimal thickness of the NF layer, the quality factor of 18.8 × 10-2 Pa-1 was achieved with a filtration efficiency of 93.1%, air permeability of 19.0 cm3/cm2/s, and pressure drop of 14.2 Pa. The membrane exhibits outstanding gas adsorption efficiencies (>99%) for H2S, formaldehyde, and NH3. The resulting membrane was highly biodegradable, with a weight loss of 62.5% after 45 days under standard test conditions. The proposed strategy should provide highly sustainable material platforms for practical multifunctional membranes in personal protective equipment.

Wood Cellulose Nanofibers Grafted with Poly(ε-caprolactone) Catalyzed by ZnEu-MOF for Functionalization and Surface Modification of PCL Films

Renewable cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced biodegradable polymers (such as polycaprolactone (PCL)) are used in agriculture, food packaging, and sustained drug release. However, the interfacial incompatibility between hydrophilic CNFs and hydrophobic PCL has limited further application as high-performance biomaterials. In this work, using a novel ZnEu-MOF as the catalyst, graft copolymers (GCL) with CNFs were grafted with poly(ε-caprolactone) (ε-CL) via homogeneous ring-opening polymerization (ROP), and used as strengthening/toughening nanofillers for PCL to fabricate light composite films (LCFs). The results showed that the ZnEu-MOF ([ZnEu(L)₂(HL)(H₂O)_0.39(CH₃OH)_0.61]·H₂O, H₂L is 5-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acids) was an efficient catalyst, with low toxicity, good stability, and fluorescence emissions, and the GCL could efficiently promote the dispersion of CNFs and improve the compatibility of the CNFs and PCL. Due to the synergistic effect of the ZnEu-MOF and CNFs, considerable improvements in the mechanical properties and high-intensity fluorescence were obtained in the LCFs. The 4 wt% GCL provided the LCF with the highest strength and elastic modulus, which increased by 247.75% and 109.94% compared to CNF/PCL, respectively, showing the best elongation at break of 917%, which was 33-fold higher than CNF/PCL. Therefore, the ZnEu-MOF represented a novel bifunctional material for ROP reactions and offered a promising modification strategy for preparing high-performance polymer composites for agriculture and biomedical applications.

Electrospun cellulose acetate/activated carbon composite modified by EDTA (rC/AC-EDTA) for efficient methylene blue dye removal

The present study fabricated regenerated cellulose nanofiber incorporated with activated carbon and functionalized rC/AC3.7 with EDTA reagent for methylene blue (MB) dye removal. The rC/AC3.7 was fabricated by electrospinning cellulose acetate (CA) with activated carbon (AC) solution followed by deacetylation. FT-IR spectroscopy was applied to prove the chemical structures. In contrast, BET, SEM, TGA and DSC analyses were applied to study the fiber diameter and structure morphology, the thermal properties and the surface properties of rC/AC3.7-EDTA. The CA was successfully deacetylated to give regenerated cellulose nanofiber/activated carbon, and then ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid dianhydride was used to functionalize the fabricated nanofiber composite. The rC/AC3.7-EDTA, rC/AC5.5-EDTA and rC/AC6.7-EDTA were tested for adsorption of MB dye with maximum removal percentages reaching 97.48, 90.44 and 94.17%, respectively. The best circumstances for batch absorption experiments of MB dye on rC/AC3.7-EDTA were pH 7, an adsorbent dose of 2 g/L, and a starting MB dye concentration of 20 mg/L for 180 min of contact time, with a maximum removal percentage of 99.14%. The best-fit isotherm models are Temkin and Hasely. The outcome of isotherm models illustrates the applicability of the Langmuir isotherm model (LIM). The maximal monolayer capacity Q_m determined from the linear LIM is 60.61 for 0.5 g/L of rC/AC3.7-EDTA. However, based on the results from error function studies, the generalized isotherm model has the lowest accuracy. The data obtained by the kinetic models' studies exposed that the absorption system follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (PSOM) throughout the absorption period.

In-situ polycondensate-coated cellulose nanofiber heterostructure for polylactic acid-based composites with superior mechanical and thermal properties

Renewable yet biodegradable natural fiber (e.g., cellulose nanofiber (CNF)) reinforced bio-based polymers (e.g., polylactic acid (PLA)) are being applied for the manufacture of clean packaging products. The interface incompatibility between hydrophilic CNF and hydrophobic PLA still restricts the promotion of high-performance bio-based products. Herein, a polycondensate-coated CNF hybrid, wherein silane, aluminate, and titanate coupling agent monomers were in-situ polymerized onto the CNF surface via dehydration self-condensation, was designed and further employed as strengthening/toughening nanofillers for fabricating the CNF-reinforced PLA composite. Results showed that the polycondensate coatings could efficiently promote the dispersion of CNFs and enhance interfacial compatibility between CNFs and PLA. Attributing to the synergistic effect of polycondensate coatings and CNFs, a considerable improvement in processing, mechanical and thermal properties was obtained in resultant CNF/PLA composites. With adding 2.5 wt% polycondensate-coated CNFs, the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and tensile toughness of CNF-reinforced PLA composites was raised by about 27 %, 51 % and 68 %, respectively; also, such composite possessed greater elasticity and higher melt strength than pure PLA. This study provides a novel interface control strategy to fabricate low-cost yet high-performance PLA-based composites for sustainable packaging application.

Synthesis and Characterization of Thiol-Functionalized Polynorbornene Dicarboximides for Heavy Metal Adsorption from Aqueous Solution

The contamination of water resources with heavy metals is a very serious concern that demands prompt and effective attention due to the serious health risks caused by these contaminants. The synthesis and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene dicarboximides bearing thiol pendant groups, specifically, N-4-thiophenyl-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide (1a), N-4-(methylthio)phenyl-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide (1b) and N-4-(trifluoromethylthio)phenyl-exo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide (1c), as well as their assessment for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous systems, is addressed in this work. The polymers were characterized by NMR, SEM and TGA, among others. Single and multicomponent aqueous solutions of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ were employed to perform both kinetic and isothermal adsorption studies taking into account several experimental parameters, for instance, the initial metal concentration, the contact time and the mass of the polymer. In general, the adsorption kinetic data fit the pseudo-second-order model more efficiently, while the adsorption isotherms fit the Freundlich and Langmuir models. The maximum metal uptakes were 53.7 mg/g for Pb²⁺, 43.8 mg/g for Cd²⁺ and 29.1 mg/g for Ni²⁺ in the SH-bearing polymer 2a, 46.4 mg/g for Pb²⁺, 32.9 mg/g for Cd²⁺ and 27.1 mg/g for Ni²⁺ in the SCH₃-bearing polymer 2b and 40.3 mg/g for Pb²⁺, 35.9 mg/g for Cd²⁺ and 27.8 mg/g for Ni²⁺ in the SCF₃-bearing polymer 2c, correspondingly. The better performance of polymer 2a for the metal uptake was ascribed to the lower steric hindrance and higher hydrophilicity imparted by -SH groups to the polymer. The results show that these thiol-functionalized polymers are effective adsorbents of heavy metal ions from aqueous media.

Multifunctional Membranes-A Versatile Approach for Emerging Pollutants Removal

This paper presents a comprehensive literature review surveying the most important polymer materials used for electrospinning processes and applied as membranes for the removal of emerging pollutants. Two types of processes integrate these membrane types: separation processes, where electrospun polymers act as a support for thin film composites (TFC), and adsorption as single or coupled processes (photo-catalysis, advanced oxidation, electrochemical), where a functionalization step is essential for the electrospun polymer to improve its properties. Emerging pollutants (EPs) released in the environment can be efficiently removed from water systems using electrospun membranes. The relevant results regarding removal efficiency, adsorption capacity, and the size and porosity of the membranes and fibers used for different EPs are described in detail.

Precision synthesis of reducing-end thiol-modified cellulose enabled by enzyme selection

Enzyme-catalyzed iterative β-1,4-glycosylation of β-glycosides is promising for bottom-up polymerization of reducing-end-modified cello-oligosaccharide chains. Self-assembly of the chains from solution yields crystalline nanocellulose materials with properties that are tunable by the glycoside group used. Cellulose chains with a reducing-end thiol group are of interest to install a controllable pattern of site-selective modifications into the nanocellulose material. Selection of the polymerizing enzyme (cellodextrin phosphorylase; CdP) was pursued here to enhance the synthetic precision of β-1-thio-glucose conversion to generate pure “1-thio-cellulose” (≥95%) unencumbered by plain (unlabeled) cellulose resulting from enzymatic side reactions. The CdP from Clostridium stercorarium (CsCdP) was 21 times more active on β-1-thio-glucose (0.17 U/mg; 45 °C) than the CdP from Clostridium cellulosi (CcCdP), and it lacked hydrolase activity, which is substantial in CcCdP, against the α-d-glucose 1-phosphate donor substrate. The combination of these enzyme properties indicated that CsCdP is a practical catalyst for 1-thio-cellulose synthesis directly from β-1-thio-glucose (8 h; 25 mol% yield) that does not require a second enzyme (cellobiose phosphorylase), which was essential when using the less selective CcCdP. The 1-thio-cellulose chains had an average degree of polymerization of ∼10 and were assembled into highly crystalline cellulose II crystallinity material.

Attenuating Fibrotic Markers of Patient-Derived Dermal Fibroblasts by Thiolated Lignin Composites

We report the use of phenolic functional groups of lignosulfonate to impart antioxidant properties and the cell binding domains of gelatin to enhance cell adhesion for poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based scaffolds. Chemoselective thiol-ene chemistry was utilized to form composites with thiolated lignosulfonate (TLS) and methacrylated fish gelatin (fGelMA). Antioxidant properties of TLS were not altered after thiolation and the levels of antioxidation were comparable to those of L-ascorbic acid. PEG-fGelMA-TLS composites significantly reduced the difference in COL1A1, ACTA2, TGFB1, and HIF1A genes between high-scarring and low-scarring hdFBs, providing the potential utility of TLS to attenuate fibrotic responses.

Reducing end thiol-modified nanocellulose: Bottom-up enzymatic synthesis and use for templated assembly of silver nanoparticles into biocidal composite material

Nanoparticle-polymer composites are important functional materials but structural control of their assembly is challenging. Owing to its crystalline internal structure and tunable nanoscale morphology, cellulose is promising polymer scaffold for templating such composite materials. Here, we show bottom-up synthesis of reducing end thiol-modified cellulose chains by iterative bi-enzymatic β-1,4-glycosylation of 1-thio-β-d-glucose (10 mM), to a degree of polymerization of ∼8 and in a yield of ∼41% on the donor substrate (α-d-glucose 1-phosphate, 100 mM). Synthetic cellulose oligomers self-assemble into highly ordered crystalline (cellulose allomorph II) material showing long (micrometers) and thin nanosheet-like morphologies, with thickness of 5-7 nm. Silver nanoparticles were attached selectively and well dispersed on the surface of the thiol-modified cellulose, in excellent yield (≥ 95%) and high loading efficiency (∼2.2 g silver/g thiol-cellulose). Examined against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, surface-patterned nanoparticles show excellent biocidal activity. Bottom-up approach by chemical design to a functional cellulose nanocomposite is presented. Synthetic thiol-containing nanocellulose can expand the scope of top-down produced cellulose materials.

Coloration and Chromatic Sensing Behavior of Electrospun Cellulose Fibers with Curcumin

The effective approach for coloration and chromatic sensing of electrospun cellulose fabrics with a natural colorant, curcumin, is demonstrated. To achieve high surface area, the morphology of fiber was controlled to have rough and porous surface through an electrospinning of a cellulose acetate (CA) solution under optimized electrospinning parameters and solvent system. The resulting CA fibers were treated with a curcumin dye/NaOH ethanol solution, in which deacetylation of the CA fiber and high-quality coloration with curcumin were simultaneously achieved. As a control, a cotton fiber with similar diameter and smooth surface morphology was treated by the same method, resulting in poor coloration quality. The difference can be attributed to high surface area as well as trapping of dye molecules inside of cellulose fiber during deacetylation. Both fibers were further utilized for a chromatic sensing application for specific toxic gases. The incorporated curcumin dye responded to hydrogen chloride and ammonia gases reversibly via keto-enol tautomerism, and, as a consequence, the color was reversibly changed between reddish-brown and yellow colors. The cellulose fiber fabricated by the electrospinning showed ten times higher and two times quicker responsiveness compared to curcumin-colored cotton fiber sample prepared with the same immersion method.

Electrospun Functional Nanofiber Membrane for Antibiotic Removal in Water: Review

As a new kind of water pollutant, antibiotics have encouraged researchers to develop new treatment technologies. Electrospun fiber membrane shows excellent benefits in antibiotic removal in water due to its advantages of large specific surface area, high porosity, good connectivity, easy surface modification and new functions. This review introduces the four aspects of electrospinning technology, namely, initial development history, working principle, influencing factors and process types. The preparation technologies of electrospun functional fiber membranes are then summarized. Finally, recent studies about antibiotic removal by electrospun functional fiber membrane are reviewed from three aspects, namely, adsorption, photocatalysis and biodegradation. Future research demand is also recommended.

Preparation of AAEK-functionalized cellulose film with antibacterial and anti-adhesion activities

Bacterial adhesion infection caused by medical materials in clinical application has become a serious threat, and it urgently needs new strategies to deal with these clinical challenges. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of surface-decorated aryl (β-amino) ethyl ketones (AAEK), a promising sorting enzyme A (SrtA) inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureus, to improve the anti-adhesion ability of biomaterials. AAEK was covalently grafted onto cellulose films (CF) via copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition click reaction. The data of contact angle measurements, ATR-FTIR and XPS proved the successful covalent attachment of AAEK-CF, and the antimicrobial efficacy of AAEK coating was assessed by CFUs, crystal violet staining, scanning electron microscopy and Living/Dead bacteria staining assay. The results illustrated that AAEK-CF exhibited excellent anti-adhesion ability to Staphylococcus aureus, and significantly reduced the number of bacteria adhering to the film. More importantly, AAEK-CF could hinder the formation of bacterial biofilm. Furthermore, AAEK-CF indicated no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells, and the cells could grow normally on the modified surface. Hence, our present work demonstrated that the grafting of the SrtA inhibitor-AAEK onto cellulose films enabled to combat bacterial biofilm formation in biomedical applications.

A Comprehensive Review of the Covalent Immobilization of Biomolecules onto Electrospun Nanofibers

Biomolecule immobilization has attracted the attention of various fields such as fine chemistry and biomedicine for their use in several applications such as wastewater, immunosensors, biofuels, et cetera. The performance of immobilized biomolecules depends on the substrate and the immobilization method utilized. Electrospun nanofibers act as an excellent substrate for immobilization due to their large surface area to volume ratio and interconnectivity. While biomolecules can be immobilized using adsorption and encapsulation, covalent immobilization offers a way to permanently fix the material to the fiber surface resulting in high efficiency, good specificity, and excellent stability. This review aims to highlight the various covalent immobilization techniques being utilized and their benefits and drawbacks. These methods typically fall into two categories: (1) direct immobilization and (2) use of crosslinkers. Direct immobilization techniques are usually simple and utilize the strong electrophilic functional groups on the nanofiber. While crosslinkers are used as an intermediary between the nanofiber substrate and the biomolecule, with some crosslinkers being present in the final product and others simply facilitating the reactions. We aim to provide an explanation of each immobilization technique, biomolecules commonly paired with said technique and the benefit of immobilization over the free biomolecule.

Functionalized electrospun nanofiber membranes for water treatment: A review

Electrospun nanofiber membranes (ENMs) have high porosity, high specific surface area and unique interconnected structure. It has huge advantages and potential in the treatment and recycling of wastewater. In addition, ENMs can be easily functionalized by combining multifunctional materials to achieve different water treatment effects. Based on this, this review summarizes the preparation of functionalized ENMs and its detailed application in the field of water treatment. First, the process and influence factors of electrospinning process are introduced. ENMs with high porosity, thin and small fiber diameter have better performance. Secondly, the modification methods of ENMs are analyzed. Pre-electrospinning and post-electrospinning modification technology can prepare specific functionalized ENMs. Subsequently, functionalized ENMs show water treatment capabilities such as separation, adsorption, photocatalysis, and antimicrobial. Subsequently, the application of functionalized ENMs in water treatment capabilities such as separation, adsorption, photocatalysis, and antimicrobial capabilities were listed. Finally, we also made some predictions about the future development direction of ENMs in water treatment, and hope this article can provide some clues and guidance for the research of ENMs in water treatment.

Biotin-Conjugated Cellulose Nanofibers Prepared via Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition (CuAAC) "Click" Chemistry

As potential high surface area for selective capture in diagnostic or filtration devices, biotin-cellulose nanofiber membranes were fabricated to demonstrate the potential for specific and bio-orthogonal attachment of biomolecules onto nanofiber surfaces. Cellulose acetate was electrospun and substituted with alkyne groups in either a one- or two-step process. The alkyne reaction, confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, was dependent on solvent ratio, time, and temperature. The two-step process maximized alkyne substitution in 10/90 volume per volume ratio (v/v) water to isopropanol at 50 °C after 6 h compared to the one-step process in 80/20 (v/v) at 50 °C after 48 h. Azide-biotin conjugate "clicked" with the alkyne-cellulose via copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC). The biotin-cellulose membranes, characterized by FTIR, SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and XPS, were used in proof-of-concept assays (HABA (4'-hydroxyazobenzene-2-carboxylic acid) colorimetric assay and fluorescently tagged streptavidin assay) where streptavidin selectively bound to the pendant biotin. The click reaction was specific to alkyne-azide coupling and dependent on pH, ratio of ascorbic acid to copper sulfate, and time. Copper (II) reduction to copper (I) was successful without ascorbic acid, increasing the viability of the click conjugation with biomolecules. The surface-available biotin was dependent on storage medium and time: Decreasing with immersion in water and increasing with storage in air.

Electrospun Nanocomposites Containing Cellulose and Its Derivatives Modified with Specialized Biomolecules for an Enhanced Wound Healing

Wound healing requires careful, directed, and effective therapies to prevent infections and accelerate tissue regeneration. In light of these demands, active biomolecules with antibacterial properties and/or healing capacities have been functionalized onto nanostructured polymeric dressings and their synergistic effect examined. In this work, various antibiotics, nanoparticles, and natural extract-derived products that were used in association with electrospun nanocomposites containing cellulose, cellulose acetate and different types of nanocellulose (cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, and bacterial cellulose) have been reviewed. Renewable, natural-origin compounds are gaining more relevance each day as potential alternatives to synthetic materials, since the former undesirable footprints in biomedicine, the environment, and the ecosystems are reaching concerning levels. Therefore, cellulose and its derivatives have been the object of numerous biomedical studies, in which their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and, most importantly, sustainability and abundance, have been determinant. A complete overview of the recently produced cellulose-containing nanofibrous meshes for wound healing applications was provided. Moreover, the current challenges that are faced by cellulose acetate- and nanocellulose-containing wound dressing formulations, processed by electrospinning, were also enumerated.