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Wang R, He H, Tian J, Chodankar S, Hsiao BS, Rosén T. Solvent-Dependent Dynamics of Cellulose Nanocrystals in Process-Relevant Flow Fields. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:13319-13329. [PMID: 38859701 PMCID: PMC11210288 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Flow-assisted alignment of anisotropic nanoparticles is a promising route for the bottom-up assembly of advanced materials with tunable properties. While aligning processes could be optimized by controlling factors such as solvent viscosity, flow deformation, and the structure of the particles themselves, it is necessary to understand the relationship between these factors and their effect on the final orientation. In this study, we investigated the flow of surface-charged cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with the shape of a rigid rod dispersed in water and propylene glycol (PG) in an isotropic tactoid state. In situ scanning small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheo-optical flow-stop experiments were used to quantify the dynamics, orientation, and structure of the assigned system at the nanometer scale. The effects of both shear and extensional flow fields were revealed in a single experiment by using a flow-focusing channel geometry, which was used as a model flow for nanomaterial assembly. Due to the higher solvent viscosity, CNCs in PG showed much slower Brownian dynamics than CNCs in water and thus could be aligned at lower deformation rates. Moreover, CNCs in PG also formed a characteristic tactoid structure but with less ordering than CNCs in water owing to weaker electrostatic interactions. The results indicate that CNCs in water stay assembled in the mesoscale structure at moderate deformation rates but are broken up at higher flow rates, enhancing rotary diffusion and leading to lower overall alignment. Albeit being a study of cellulose nanoparticles, the fundamental interplay between imposed flow fields, Brownian motion, and electrostatic interactions likely apply to many other anisotropic colloidal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifu Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United
States
| | - HongRui He
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United
States
| | - Jiajun Tian
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United
States
| | - Shirish Chodankar
- National
Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven
National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11793-5000, United States
| | - Benjamin S. Hsiao
- Department
of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United
States
| | - Tomas Rosén
- Department
of Fiber and Polymer Technology and Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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Benselfelt T, Kummer N, Nordenström M, Fall AB, Nyström G, Wågberg L. The Colloidal Properties of Nanocellulose. CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202201955. [PMID: 36650954 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202201955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nanocelluloses are anisotropic nanoparticles of semicrystalline assemblies of glucan polymers. They have great potential as renewable building blocks in the materials platform of a more sustainable society. As a result, the research on nanocellulose has grown exponentially over the last decades. To fully utilize the properties of nanocelluloses, a fundamental understanding of their colloidal behavior is necessary. As elongated particles with dimensions in a critical nanosize range, their colloidal properties are complex, with several behaviors not covered by classical theories. In this comprehensive Review, we describe the most prominent colloidal behaviors of nanocellulose by combining experimental data and theoretical descriptions. We discuss the preparation and characterization of nanocellulose dispersions, how they form networks at low concentrations, how classical theories cannot describe their behavior, and how they interact with other colloids. We then show examples of how scientists can use this fundamental knowledge to control the assembly of nanocellulose into new materials with exceptional properties. We hope aspiring and established researchers will use this Review as a guide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Benselfelt
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nico Kummer
- Laboratory for Cellulose & Wood Materials, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Malin Nordenström
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Gustav Nyström
- Laboratory for Cellulose & Wood Materials, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Wågberg
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Calabrese V, Shen AQ, Haward SJ. Naturally derived colloidal rods in microfluidic flows. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2023; 17:021301. [PMID: 37035099 PMCID: PMC10076066 DOI: 10.1063/5.0142867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Naturally derived colloidal rods (CR) are promising building blocks for developing sustainable soft materials. Engineering new materials based on naturally derived CR requires an in-depth understanding of the structural dynamics and self-assembly of CR in dispersion under processing conditions. With the advancement of microfabrication techniques, many microfluidic platforms have been employed to study the structural dynamics of CR under flow. However, each microfluidic design has its pros and cons which need careful evaluation in order to fully meet the experimental goal and correctly interpret the data. We analyze recent results obtained from naturally derived CR and relevant rod-like macromolecules under microfluidic flows, with emphasis on the dynamical behavior in shear- and extensional-dominated flows. We highlight the key concepts required in order to assess and evaluate the results obtained from different CR and microfluidic platforms as a whole and to aid interconnections with neighboring fields. Finally, we identify and discuss areas of interest for future research directions.
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4
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Wang R, He H, Sharma PR, Tian J, Söderberg LD, Rosén T, Hsiao BS. Unexpected Gelation Behavior of Cellulose Nanofibers Dispersed in Glycols. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruifu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States
| | - Hongrui He
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States
| | - Priyanka R. Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States
| | - Jiajun Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States
| | - L. Daniel Söderberg
- Fiber and Polymer Technology Department, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmS-100 44, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmS-100 44, Sweden
| | - Tomas Rosén
- Fiber and Polymer Technology Department, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmS-100 44, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, StockholmS-100 44, Sweden
| | - Benjamin S. Hsiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York11794-3400, United States
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5
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Das R, Lindström T, Sharma PR, Chi K, Hsiao BS. Nanocellulose for Sustainable Water Purification. Chem Rev 2022; 122:8936-9031. [PMID: 35330990 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nanocelluloses (NC) are nature-based sustainable biomaterials, which not only possess cellulosic properties but also have the important hallmarks of nanomaterials, such as large surface area, versatile reactive sites or functionalities, and scaffolding stability to host inorganic nanoparticles. This class of nanomaterials offers new opportunities for a broad spectrum of applications for clean water production that were once thought impractical. This Review covers substantial discussions based on evaluative judgments of the recent literature and technical advancements in the fields of coagulation/flocculation, adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane filtration for water decontamination through proper understanding of fundamental knowledge of NC, such as purity, crystallinity, surface chemistry and charge, suspension rheology, morphology, mechanical properties, and film stability. To supplement these, discussions on low-cost and scalable NC extraction, new characterizations including solution small-angle X-ray scattering evaluation, and structure-property relationships of NC are also reviewed. Identifying knowledge gaps and drawing perspectives could generate guidance to overcome uncertainties associated with the adaptation of NC-enabled water purification technologies. Furthermore, the topics of simultaneous removal of multipollutants disposal and proper handling of post/spent NC are discussed. We believe NC-enabled remediation nanomaterials can be integrated into a broad range of water treatments, greatly improving the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of water purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasel Das
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United States
| | - Tom Lindström
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United States.,KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
| | - Priyanka R Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United States
| | - Kai Chi
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United States
| | - Benjamin S Hsiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3400, United States
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6
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Gowda VK, Rosén T, Roth SV, Söderberg LD, Lundell F. Nanofibril Alignment during Assembly Revealed by an X-ray Scattering-Based Digital Twin. ACS NANO 2022; 16:2120-2132. [PMID: 35104107 PMCID: PMC8867913 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The nanostructure, primarily particle orientation, controls mechanical and functional (e.g., mouthfeel, cell compatibility, optical, morphing) properties when macroscopic materials are assembled from nanofibrils. Understanding and controlling the nanostructure is therefore an important key for the continued development of nanotechnology. We merge recent developments in the assembly of biological nanofibrils, X-ray diffraction orientation measurements, and computational fluid dynamics of complex flows. The result is a digital twin, which reveals the complete particle orientation in complex and transient flow situations, in particular the local alignment and spatial variation of the orientation distributions of different length fractions, both along the process and over a specific cross section. The methodology forms a necessary foundation for analysis and optimization of assembly involving anisotropic particles. Furthermore, it provides a bridge between advanced in operandi measurements of nanostructures and phenomena such as transitions between liquid crystal states and in silico studies of particle interactions and agglomeration.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Krishne Gowda
- Department
of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute
of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- FLOW, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Rosén
- Treesearch, Royal
Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of
Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Royal Institute
of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephan V. Roth
- Treesearch, Royal
Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of
Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Royal Institute
of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Deutches
Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - L. Daniel Söderberg
- FLOW, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Treesearch, Royal
Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of
Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Royal Institute
of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Lundell
- Department
of Engineering Mechanics, Royal Institute
of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- FLOW, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of
Technology, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
- E-mail:
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7
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Munier P, Hadi SE, Segad M, Bergström L. Rheo-SAXS study of shear-induced orientation and relaxation of cellulose nanocrystal and montmorillonite nanoplatelet dispersions. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:390-396. [PMID: 34901987 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00837d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The development of robust production processes is essential for the introduction of advanced materials based on renewable and Earth-abundant resources. Cellulose nanomaterials have been combined with other highly available nanoparticles, in particular clays, to generate multifunctional films and foams. Here, the structure of dispersions of rod-like cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and montmorillonite nanoplatelets (MNT) was probed using small-angle X-ray scattering within a rheological cell (Rheo-SAXS). Shear induced a high degree of particle orientation in both the CNC-only and CNC:MNT composite dispersions. Relaxation of the shear-induced orientation in the CNC-only dispersion decayed exponentially and reached a steady-state within 20 seconds, while the relaxation of the CNC:MNT composite dispersion was found to be strongly retarded and partially inhibited. Viscoelastic measurements and Guinier analysis of dispersions at the shear rate of 0.1 s-1 showed that the addition of MNT promotes gel formation of the CNC:MNT composite dispersions. A better understanding of shear-dependent assembly and orientation of multi-component nanoparticle dispersions can be used to process materials with improved mechanical and functional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Munier
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 10691, Sweden.
| | - Seyed Ehsan Hadi
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 10691, Sweden.
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 10691, Sweden
| | - Mo Segad
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 10691, Sweden.
| | - Lennart Bergström
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 10691, Sweden.
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8
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Rosén T, Wang R, He H, Zhan C, Chodankar S, Hsiao BS. Understanding ion-induced assembly of cellulose nanofibrillar gels through shear-free mixing and in situ scanning-SAXS. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2021; 3:4940-4951. [PMID: 34485817 PMCID: PMC8386416 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00236h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
During the past decade, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have shown tremendous potential as a building block to fabricate new advanced materials that are both biocompatible and biodegradable. The excellent mechanical properties of the individual CNF can be transferred to macroscale fibers through careful control in hydrodynamic alignment and assembly processes. The optimization of such processes relies on the understanding of nanofibril dynamics during the process, which in turn requires in situ characterization. Here, we use a shear-free mixing experiment combined with scanning small-angle X-ray scattering (scanning-SAXS) to provide time-resolved nanoscale kinetics during the in situ assembly of dispersed cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) upon mixing with a sodium chloride solution. The addition of monovalent ions led to the transition to a volume-spanning arrested (gel) state. The transition of CNFs is associated with segmental aggregation of the particles, leading to a connected network and reduced Brownian motion, whereby an aligned structure can be preserved. Furthermore, we find that the extensional flow seems to enhance the formation of these segmental aggregates, which in turn provides a comprehensible explanation for the superior material properties obtained in shear-free processes used for spinning filaments from CNFs. This observation clearly highlights the need for different assembly strategies depending on morphology and interactions of the dispersed nanoparticles, where this work can be used as a guide for improved nanomaterial processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Rosén
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794-3400 USA
- Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology SE-100 44 Stockholm Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology SE-100 44 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Ruifu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794-3400 USA
| | - HongRui He
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794-3400 USA
| | - Chengbo Zhan
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794-3400 USA
| | - Shirish Chodankar
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Lab Upton NY USA
| | - Benjamin S Hsiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York 11794-3400 USA
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9
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Brouzet C, Mittal N, Rosén T, Takeda Y, Söderberg LD, Lundell F, Takana H. Effect of Electric Field on the Hydrodynamic Assembly of Polydisperse and Entangled Fibrillar Suspensions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:8339-8347. [PMID: 34176263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c01196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Dynamics of colloidal particles can be controlled by the application of electric fields at micrometer-nanometer length scales. Here, an electric field-coupled microfluidic flow-focusing device is designed for investigating the effect of an externally applied alternating current (AC) electric field on the hydrodynamic assembly of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). We first discuss how the nanofibrils align parallel to the direction of the applied field without flow. Then, we apply an electric field during hydrodynamic assembly in the microfluidic channel and observe the effects on the mechanical properties of the assembled nanostructures. We further discuss the nanoscale orientational dynamics of the polydisperse and entangled fibrillar suspension of CNFs in the channel. It is shown that electric fields induced with the electrodes locally increase the degree of orientation. However, hydrodynamic alignment is demonstrated to be much more efficient than the electric field for aligning CNFs. The results are useful for understanding the development of the nanostructure when designing high-performance materials with microfluidics in the presence of external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Brouzet
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center and Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Nitesh Mittal
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center and Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Tomas Rosén
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center and Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Yusuke Takeda
- Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
| | - L Daniel Söderberg
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center and Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Lundell
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center and Linné FLOW Centre, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - Hidemasa Takana
- Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan
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10
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Rosén T, Hsiao BS, Söderberg LD. Elucidating the Opportunities and Challenges for Nanocellulose Spinning. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2001238. [PMID: 32830341 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202001238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Man-made continuous fibers play an essential role in society today. With the increase in global sustainability challenges, there is a broad spectrum of societal needs where the development of advanced biobased fibers could provide means to address the challenges. Biobased regenerated fibers, produced from dissolved cellulose are widely used today for clothes, upholstery, and linens. With new developments in the area of advanced biobased fibers, it would be possible to compete with high-performance synthetic fibers such as glass fibers and carbon fibers as well as to provide unique functionalities. One possible development is to fabricate fibers by spinning filaments from nanocellulose, Nature's nanoscale high-performance building block, which will require detailed insights into nanoscale assembly mechanisms during spinning, as well as knowledge regarding possible functionalization. If successful, this could result in a new class of man-made biobased fibers. This work aims to identify the progress made in the field of spinning of nanocellulose filaments, as well as outline necessary steps for efficient fabrication of such nanocellulose-based filaments with controlled and predictable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Rosén
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, S-100 44, Sweden
| | - Benjamin S Hsiao
- Chemistry Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3400, USA
| | - L Daniel Söderberg
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, S-100 44, Sweden
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11
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Calabrese V, Varchanis S, Haward SJ, Tsamopoulos J, Shen AQ. Structure-property relationship of a soft colloidal glass in simple and mixed flows. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 601:454-466. [PMID: 34126412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.05.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Under specific conditions, rod-like cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) can assemble into structurally ordered soft glasses (SGs) with anisotropy that can be controlled by applying shear. However, to achieve full structural control of SGs in real industrial processes, their response to mixed shear and extensional kinematics needs to be determined. We hypothesise that by knowing the shear rheology of the CNC-based soft glass and adopting a suitable constitutive model, it is possible to predict the structure-property relationship of the SG under mixed flows. EXPERIMENTS We use an aqueous suspension with 2 wt% CNC at 25 mM NaCl to form a structurally ordered SG composed of a CNC network containing nematic domains. We combine rheometry and microfluidic experiments with numerical simulations to study the flow properties of the SG in shear, extension, and mixed flow conditions. Extensional flow is investigated in the Optimised Shape Cross-slot Extensional Rheometer (OSCER), where the SG is exposed to shear-free planar elongation. Mixed flow kinematics are investigated in a benchmark microfluidic cylinder device (MCD) where the SG flows past a confined cylinder in a microchannel. FINDINGS The SG in the MCD displays a velocity overshoot (negative wake) and a pronounced CNC alignment downstream of the cylinder. Simulations using the thixotropic elasto-visco-plastic (TEVP) model yield near quantitative agreement of the velocity profiles in simple and mixed flows and capture the structural fingerprint of the material. Our results provide a comprehensive link between the structural behaviour of a CNC-based SG and its mechanistic properties, laying foundations for the development of functional, built-to-order soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Calabrese
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Stylianos Varchanis
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan; Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Rheology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Patras 26500, Greece
| | - Simon J Haward
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - John Tsamopoulos
- Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Rheology, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Patras 26500, Greece
| | - Amy Q Shen
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.
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12
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Rosén T, Wang R, He H, Zhan C, Chodankar S, Hsiao BS. Shear-free mixing to achieve accurate temporospatial nanoscale kinetics through scanning-SAXS: ion-induced phase transition of dispersed cellulose nanocrystals. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1084-1095. [PMID: 33514993 PMCID: PMC8323814 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01048k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Time-resolved in situ characterization of well-defined mixing processes using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is usually challenging, especially if the process involves changes of material viscoelasticity. In specific, it can be difficult to create a continuous mixing experiment without shearing the material of interest; a desirable situation since shear flow both affects nanoscale structures and flow stability as well as resulting in unreliable time-resolved data. Here, we demonstrate a flow-focusing mixing device for in situ nanostructural characterization using scanning-SAXS. Given the interfacial tension and viscosity ratio between core and sheath fluids, the core material confined by sheath flows is completely detached from the walls and forms a zero-shear plug flow at the channel center, allowing for a trivial conversion of spatial coordinates to mixing times. With this technique, the time-resolved gel formation of dispersed cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was studied by mixing with a sodium chloride solution. It is observed how locally ordered regions, so called tactoids, are disrupted when the added monovalent ions affect the electrostatic interactions, which in turn leads to a loss of CNC alignment through enhanced rotary diffusion. The demonstrated flow-focusing scanning-SAXS technique can be used to unveil important kinetics during structural formation of nanocellulosic materials. However, the same technique is also applicable in many soft matter systems to provide new insights into the nanoscale dynamics during mixing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Rosén
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew York 11794-3400USA
- Department of Fiber and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologySE-100 44 StockholmSweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologySE-100 44 StockholmSweden
| | - Ruifu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew York 11794-3400USA
| | - HongRui He
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew York 11794-3400USA
| | - Chengbo Zhan
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew York 11794-3400USA
| | - Shirish Chodankar
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National LabUptonNYUSA
| | - Benjamin S. Hsiao
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew York 11794-3400USA
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13
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Calabrese V, Haward SJ, Shen AQ. Effects of Shearing and Extensional Flows on the Alignment of Colloidal Rods. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Calabrese
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Simon J. Haward
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Amy Q. Shen
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
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