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Jia S, Yang B, Du J, Xie Y, Yu L, Zhang Y, Tao T, Tang W, Gong J. Uncovering the Recent Progress of CNC-Derived Chirality Nanomaterials: Structure and Functions. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2401664. [PMID: 38651220 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), as a renewable resource, with excellent mechanical performance, low thermal expansion coefficient, and unique optical performance, is becoming a novel candidate for the development of smart material. Herein, the recent progress of CNC-based chirality nanomaterials is uncovered, mainly covering structure regulations and function design. Undergoing a simple evaporation process, the cellulose nanorods can spontaneously assemble into chiral nematic films, accompanied by a vivid structural color. Various film structure-controlling strategies, including assembly means, physical modulation, additive engineering, surface modification, geometric structure regulation, and external field optimization, are summarized in this work. The intrinsic correlation between structure and performance is emphasized. Next, the applications of CNC-based nanomaterials is systematically reviewed. Layer-by-layer stacking structure and unique optical activity endow the nanomaterials with wide applications in the mineralization, bone regeneration, and synthesis of mesoporous materials. Besides, the vivid structural color broadens the functions in anti-counterfeiting engineering, synthesis of the shape-memory and self-healing materials. Finally, the challenges for the CNC-based nanomaterials are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengzhe Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Bingbing Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jing Du
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Aggregation Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yujiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Liuyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Tiantian Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Junbo Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, China
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2
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Frka-Petesic B, Parton TG, Honorato-Rios C, Narkevicius A, Ballu K, Shen Q, Lu Z, Ogawa Y, Haataja JS, Droguet BE, Parker RM, Vignolini S. Structural Color from Cellulose Nanocrystals or Chitin Nanocrystals: Self-Assembly, Optics, and Applications. Chem Rev 2023; 123:12595-12756. [PMID: 38011110 PMCID: PMC10729353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Widespread concerns over the impact of human activity on the environment have resulted in a desire to replace artificial functional materials with naturally derived alternatives. As such, polysaccharides are drawing increasing attention due to offering a renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible feedstock for functional nanomaterials. In particular, nanocrystals of cellulose and chitin have emerged as versatile and sustainable building blocks for diverse applications, ranging from mechanical reinforcement to structural coloration. Much of this interest arises from the tendency of these colloidally stable nanoparticles to self-organize in water into a lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal, which can be readily manipulated in terms of its periodicity, structure, and geometry. Importantly, this helicoidal ordering can be retained into the solid-state, offering an accessible route to complex nanostructured films, coatings, and particles. In this review, the process of forming iridescent, structurally colored films from suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is summarized and the mechanisms underlying the chemical and physical phenomena at each stage in the process explored. Analogy is then drawn with chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs), allowing for key differences to be critically assessed and strategies toward structural coloration to be presented. Importantly, the progress toward translating this technology from academia to industry is summarized, with unresolved scientific and technical questions put forward as challenges to the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Frka-Petesic
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
- International
Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM), Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Thomas G. Parton
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Camila Honorato-Rios
- Department
of Sustainable and Bio-inspired Materials, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Aurimas Narkevicius
- B
CUBE − Center for Molecular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Kevin Ballu
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Qingchen Shen
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Zihao Lu
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Yu Ogawa
- CERMAV-CNRS,
CS40700, 38041 Grenoble cedex 9, France
| | - Johannes S. Haataja
- Department
of Applied Physics, Aalto University School
of Science, P.O. Box
15100, Aalto, Espoo FI-00076, Finland
| | - Benjamin E. Droguet
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Richard M. Parker
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Vignolini
- Yusuf
Hamied Department of Chemistry, University
of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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3
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Wang Q, Niu W, Feng S, Liu J, Liu H, Zhu Q. Accelerating Cellulose Nanocrystal Assembly into Chiral Nanostructures. ACS NANO 2023. [PMID: 37464327 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c03797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) suspensions self-assembled into chiral nematic liquid crystals. This property has enabled the development of versatile optical materials with fascinating properties. Nevertheless, the scale-up production and commercial success of chiral nematic CNC superstructures face significant challenges. Fabrication of chiral nematic CNC nanostructures suffers from a ubiquitous pernicious trade-off between uniform chiral nematic structure and rapid self-assembly. Specifically, the chiral nematic assembly of CNCs is a time-consuming, spontaneous process that involves the organization of particles into ordered nanostructures as the solvent evaporates. This review is driven by the interest in accelerating chiral nematic CNC assembly and promoting a long-range oriented chiral nematic CNC superstructure. To start this review, the chirality origins of CNC and CNC aggregates are analyzed. This is followed by a summary of the recent advances in stimuli-accelerated chiral nematic CNC self-assembly procedures, including evaporation-induced self-assembly, continuous coating, vacuum-assisted self-assembly, and shear-induced CNC assembly under confinement. In particular, stimuli-induced unwinding, alignment, and relaxation of chiral nematic structures were highlighted, offering a significant link between the accelerated assembly approaches and uniform chiral nematic nanostructures. Ultimately, future opportunities and challenges for rapid chiral nematic CNC assembly are discussed for more innovative and exciting applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wang
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Wen Niu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Shixuan Feng
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Qianqian Zhu
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
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4
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Etale A, Onyianta AJ, Turner SR, Eichhorn SJ. Cellulose: A Review of Water Interactions, Applications in Composites, and Water Treatment. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2016-2048. [PMID: 36622272 PMCID: PMC9999429 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose is known to interact well with water, but is insoluble in it. Many polysaccharides such as cellulose are known to have significant hydrogen bond networks joining the molecular chains, and yet they are recalcitrant to aqueous solvents. This review charts the interaction of cellulose with water but with emphasis on the formation of both natural and synthetic fiber composites. Covering studies concerning the interaction of water with wood, the biosynthesis of cellulose in the cell wall, to its dispersion in aqueous suspensions and ultimately in water filtration and fiber-based composite materials this review explores water-cellulose interactions and how they can be exploited for synthetic and natural composites. The suggestion that cellulose is amphiphilic is critically reviewed, with relevance to its processing. Building on this, progress made in using various charged and modified forms of nanocellulose to stabilize oil-water emulsions is addressed. The role of water in the aqueous formation of chiral nematic liquid crystals, and subsequently when dried into composite films is covered. The review will also address the use of cellulose as an aid to water filtration as one area where interactions can be used effectively to prosper human life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Etale
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
| | - Amaka J Onyianta
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
| | - Simon R Turner
- School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, ManchesterM13 9PT, U.K
| | - Stephen J Eichhorn
- Bristol Composites Institute, School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, University Walk, BristolBS8 1TR, United Kingdom
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5
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Guo M, Li Y, Yan X, Song J, Liu D, Li Q, Su F, Shi X. Sustainable iridescence of cast and shear coatings of cellulose nanocrystals. Carbohydr Polym 2021; 273:118628. [PMID: 34561019 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
As an eco-friendly sustainable iridescent coating, cholesteric cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is susceptible to substrate effects or shearing effects. In this work, interface interaction and liquid crystal phase transition were evaluated for fabricating iridescent cast or shear coatings of CNCs onto substrates of polystyrene, glass, ceramic, wood, stainless steel, metal, or metal alloy. Three types of substrate effects and four categories of shearing effects on the structure color mechanism of CNC coatings were proposed. Practically, several efficient approaches, such as increasing colloidal concentration, enhancing water-retention of substrates, raising processing temperature, slowing down shearing speed, or doping functional additives were involved. Hence, a feasible strategy was provided for preparing sustainable, iridescent, stable, and industrially scalable coatings of CNCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengna Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Yu Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Xueyi Yan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Jianing Song
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Dagang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
| | - Qin Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Fan Su
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Xingwei Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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6
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Gu Z, Lu M, Feng K, Jin Z. The different composites of cellulose nanocrystals with d- or l-histidine. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:8174-8180. [PMID: 33881430 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr00946j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are inherently right-handed nanostructures that originate from nature, showing chirality in their fibrils, bundles, and self-assembled films. However, the enantio-specific interaction between CNCs and other chiral molecules has not been explored so far. In this study, we first demonstrated a chirality-related difference in the composite films of cellulose nanocrystals and histidine with a d- or l-configuration. The distinction is not only presented in the self-assembled nanostructures of CNCs, optical properties, and the thermal decomposition of composites but also in the crystallization of the amino acid. We suppose that it might have originated from the packing of amino acids on the twisted surface of CNCs. The knowledge about the enantio-specific interaction between the chiral amino acid and polysaccharide nanostructure is of significant importance for developing a new strategy for enantiomeric separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehao Gu
- Department of Chemistry, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Zhu B, Johansen VE, Kamita G, Guidetti G, Bay M, Parton TG, Frka-Petesic B, Vignolini S. Hyperspectral Imaging of Photonic Cellulose Nanocrystal Films: Structure of Local Defects and Implications for Self-Assembly Pathways. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15361-15373. [PMID: 33090776 PMCID: PMC7690050 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can spontaneously assemble into chiral nematic films capable of reflecting circularly polarized light in the visible range. As many other photonic materials obtained by bottom-up approaches, CNC films often display defects that greatly impact their visual appearance. Here, we study the optical response of defects in photonic CNC films, coupling optical microscopy with hyperspectral imaging, and we compare it to optical simulations of discontinuous cholesteric structures of increasing complexity. Cross-sectional SEM observations of the film structure guided the choice of simulation parameters and showed excellent agreement with experimental optical patterns. More importantly, it strongly suggests that the last fraction of CNCs to self-assemble, upon solvent evaporation, does not undergo the typical nucleation and growth pathway, but a spinodal decomposition, an alternative self-assembly pathway so far overlooked in cast films and that can have far-reaching consequences on choices of CNC sources and assembly conditions.
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8
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Tran A, Boott CE, MacLachlan MJ. Understanding the Self-Assembly of Cellulose Nanocrystals-Toward Chiral Photonic Materials. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1905876. [PMID: 32009259 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201905876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Over millions of years, animals and plants have evolved complex molecules and structures that endow them with vibrant colors. Among the sources of natural coloration, structural color is prominent in insects, bird feathers, snake skin, plants, and other organisms, where the color arises from the interaction of light with nanoscale features rather than absorption from a pigment. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a biorenewable resource that spontaneously organize into chiral nematic liquid crystals having a hierarchical structure that resembles the Bouligand structure of arthropod shells. The periodic, chiral nematic organization of CNC films leads them to diffract light, making them appear iridescent. Over the past two decades, there have been many advances to develop the photonic properties of CNCs for applications ranging from cosmetics to sensors. Here, the origin of color in CNCs, the control of photonic properties of CNC films, the development of new composite materials of CNCs that can yield flexible photonic structures, and the future challenges in this field are discussed. In particular, recent efforts to make flexible photonic materials using CNCs are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Tran
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Mail Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Charlotte E Boott
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Mail Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Mark J MacLachlan
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Mail Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
- Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, 2355 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
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9
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Chen T, Zhao Q, Meng X, Li Y, Peng H, Whittaker AK, Zhu S. Ultrasensitive Magnetic Tuning of Optical Properties of Films of Cholesteric Cellulose Nanocrystals. ACS NANO 2020; 14:9440-9448. [PMID: 32574040 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Chiral photonic crystals derived from the self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have found important applications in optical devices due to the capacity to adjust the chiral nematic phase under external stimulus, in particular an applied magnetic field. To date, strong magnetic fields have been required to induce an optical response in CNC films. In this work, the self-assembly of films of CNCs can be tuned by applying an ultrasmall magnetic field. The CNCs, decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4/CNCs), were dispersed in suspensions of neat CNCs so as to alter the magnetic response of the CNCs. A subsequent process of dispersion not only prevents the clumping of the magnetic nanoparticles but also enhances the sensitivity to an applied magnetic field. A small magnetic field of 7 mT can tune the self-assembly and the microstructure of the CNCs. The pitch of the chiral structure decreased with an increase in applied magnetic field, from 302 to 206 nm, for fields from 7 to 15 mT. This phenomenon is opposite that observed for neat CNCs, in which the pitch is observed to increase with an increase in the external magnetic strength. The optical response under application of an ultrasmall magnetic field could help with theoretical research and enable more applications, such as sensors or nanotemplating agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinglan Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Xin Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Peng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew K Whittaker
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shenmin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
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10
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From Equilibrium Liquid Crystal Formation and Kinetic Arrest to Photonic Bandgap Films Using Suspensions of Cellulose Nanocrystals. CRYSTALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst10030199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal phase developed by suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) has come increasingly into focus from numerous directions over the last few years. In part, this is because CNC suspensions are sustainably produced aqueous suspensions of a fully bio-derived nanomaterial with attractive properties. Equally important is the interesting and useful behavior exhibited by solid CNC films, created by drying a cholesteric-forming suspension. However, the pathway along which these films are realized, starting from a CNC suspension that may have low enough concentration to be fully isotropic, is more complex than often appreciated, leading to reproducibility problems and confusion. Addressing a broad audience of physicists, chemists, materials scientists and engineers, this Review focuses primarily on the physics and physical chemistry of CNC suspensions and the process of drying them. The ambition is to explain rather than to repeat, hence we spend more time than usual on the meanings and relevance of the key colloid and liquid crystal science concepts that must be mastered in order to understand the behavior of CNC suspensions, and we present some interesting analyses, arguments and data for the first time. We go through the development of cholesteric nuclei (tactoids) from the isotropic phase and their potential impact on the final dry films; the spontaneous CNC fractionation that takes place in the phase coexistence window; the kinetic arrest that sets in when the CNC mass fraction reaches ∼10 wt.%, preserving the cholesteric helical order until the film has dried; the ’coffee-ring effect’ active prior to kinetic arrest, often ruining the uniformity in the produced films; and the compression of the helix during the final water evaporation, giving rise to visible structural color in the films.
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11
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Xiong R, Luan J, Kang S, Ye C, Singamaneni S, Tsukruk VV. Biopolymeric photonic structures: design, fabrication, and emerging applications. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:983-1031. [PMID: 31960001 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs01007b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Biological photonic structures can precisely control light propagation, scattering, and emission via hierarchical structures and diverse chemistry, enabling biophotonic applications for transparency, camouflaging, protection, mimicking and signaling. Corresponding natural polymers are promising building blocks for constructing synthetic multifunctional photonic structures owing to their renewability, biocompatibility, mechanical robustness, ambient processing conditions, and diverse surface chemistry. In this review, we provide a summary of the light phenomena in biophotonic structures found in nature, the selection of corresponding biopolymers for synthetic photonic structures, the fabrication strategies for flexible photonics, and corresponding emerging photonic-related applications. We introduce various photonic structures, including multi-layered, opal, and chiral structures, as well as photonic networks in contrast to traditionally considered light absorption and structural photonics. Next, we summarize the bottom-up and top-down fabrication approaches and physical properties of organized biopolymers and highlight the advantages of biopolymers as building blocks for realizing unique bioenabled photonic structures. Furthermore, we consider the integration of synthetic optically active nanocomponents into organized hierarchical biopolymer frameworks for added optical functionalities, such as enhanced iridescence and chiral photoluminescence. Finally, we present an outlook on current trends in biophotonic materials design and fabrication, including current issues, critical needs, as well as promising emerging photonic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xiong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245, USA.
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12
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Xiong R, Yu S, Kang S, Adstedt KM, Nepal D, Bunning TJ, Tsukruk VV. Integration of Optical Surface Structures with Chiral Nanocellulose for Enhanced Chiroptical Properties. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1905600. [PMID: 31773827 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201905600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The integration of chiral organization with photonic structures found in many living creatures enables unique chiral photonic structures with a combination of selective light reflection, light propagation, and circular dichroism. Inspired by these natural integrated nanostructures, hierarchical chiroptical systems that combine imprinted surface optical structures with the natural chiral organization of cellulose nanocrystals are fabricated. Different periodic photonic surface structures with rich diffraction phenomena, including various optical gratings and microlenses, are replicated into nanocellulose film surfaces over large areas. The resulting films with embedded optical elements exhibit vivid, controllable structural coloration combined with highly asymmetric broadband circular dichroism and a microfocusing capability not typically found in traditional photonic bioderived materials without compromising their mechanical strength. The strategy of imprinting surface optical structures onto chiral biomaterials facilitates a range of prospective photonic applications, including stereoscopic displays, polarization encoding, chiral polarizers, and colorimetric chiral biosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xiong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA
| | - Shengtao Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA
| | - Saewon Kang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA
| | - Katarina M Adstedt
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA
| | - Dhriti Nepal
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, 45433, USA
| | - Timothy J Bunning
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, 45433, USA
| | - Vladimir V Tsukruk
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0245, USA
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13
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Frka-Petesic B, Kamita G, Guidetti G, Vignolini S. The angular optical response of cellulose nanocrystal films explained by the distortion of the arrested suspension upon drying. PHYSICAL REVIEW MATERIALS 2019; 3:045601. [PMID: 33225202 PMCID: PMC7116400 DOI: 10.1103/physrevmaterials.3.045601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are bio-sourced chiral nanorods that can form stable colloidal suspensions able to spontaneously assemble above a critical concentration into a cholesteric liquid crystal, with a cholesteric pitch usually in the micron range. When these suspensions are dried on a substrate, solid films with a pitch of the order of few hundreds of nanometers can be produced, leading to intense reflection in the visible range. However, the resulting cholesteric nanostructure is usually not homogeneous within a sample and comports important variations of the cholesteric domain orientation and pitch, which affect the photonic properties. In this work, we first propose a model accounting for the formation of the photonic structure from the vertical compression of the cholesteric suspension upon solvent evaporation, starting at the onset of the kinetic arrest of the drying suspension and ending when solvent evaporation is complete. From that assumption, various structural features of the films can be derived, such as the variation of the cholesteric pitch with the domain tilt, the orientation distribution density of the final cholesteric domains and the distortion of the helix from the unperturbed cholesteric case. The angular-resolved optical response of such films is then derived, including the iridescence and the generation of higher order reflection bands, and a simulation of the angular optical response is provided, including its tailoring under external magnetic fields. Second, we conducted an experimental investigation of CNC films covering a structural and optical analysis of the films. The macroscopic appearance of the films is discussed and complemented with angular-resolved optical spectroscopy, optical and electron microscopy, and our quantitative analysis shows an excellent agreement with the proposed model. This allows us to access the precise composition and the pitch of the suspension when it transited into a kinetically arrested phase directly from the optical analysis of the film. This work highlights the key role that the anisotropic compression of the kinetically arrested state plays in the formation of CNC films and is relevant to the broader case of structure formation in cast dispersions and colloidal self-assembly upon solvent evaporation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Frka-Petesic
- Melville laboratory for polymer Synthesis, Chemistry dept., University of Cambridge
| | - Gen Kamita
- Melville laboratory for polymer Synthesis, Chemistry dept., University of Cambridge
| | - Giulia Guidetti
- Melville laboratory for polymer Synthesis, Chemistry dept., University of Cambridge
| | - Silvia Vignolini
- Melville laboratory for polymer Synthesis, Chemistry dept., University of Cambridge
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