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Electrospun nanofibers obtained from cellulose acetate before (CA) and after (DCA) deacetylation were used as electrolyte membranes in dye-sensitized solar cells. As holders of the active components of the device and compared to the reference system, the CA and DCA membranes increased the average device efficiency by as much as 14%. The membranes enhanced the charge transfer at the counter electrode...
The iridescence displayed by films made from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) has long been the subject of fundamental research. This has expanded our understanding of colloidal self-assembly towards the development of advanced materials. However, the application of such findings is less reported for visual designs that exploit structural color. Aesthetic outputs are already in reach, but requires input...
A new chemo-enzymatic treatment is proposed to produce cellulosic fibers suitable for heterogeneous- or homogeneous-phase acetylation. The procedure included enzymatic (laccase–violuric acid) lignin removal from the precursor fibers (unbleached sulfite pulp) followed by hydrogen peroxide treatment. An optional intermediate stage included partial hydrolysis (endoglucanase) to increase fiber reactivity...
Biobased aerogels were used as environmentally friendly replacement for synthetic polymers as electrolyte carrier membranes in quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). Integration of polymeric components in solar cells has received increased attention for sustainable energy generation. In this context, biobased aerogels were fabricated to apply as freestanding, porous and eco-friendly electrolyte...
Seven selected Eucalyptus varieties grown under the same conditions were collected to investigate the relationships between specie type and cellulose composition as well as structural and thermo-chemical properties. This systematic investigation used E. badjensis, E. benthamii, E. dunnii, E. globulus, E. nitens, E. smithii and two hybrids, E. nitens × E. globulus, from which holocellulose and alpha-cellulose...
We report a facile approach to tailor the wettability of ligno-cellulosic substrates via photo-induced thiol–yne click coupling. First, cellulosic surfaces were functionalized with 4-pentynoic acid to introduce terminal alkyne moieties for the subsequent photo-induced coupling in heterogeneous phase. Next, the (primed) surfaces were reacted with various thiol-containing molecules to systematically...
Aerogels prepared from aqueous dispersions of anionic and cationic cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as solid supports for enzymes and silver nanoparticles and to elicit a sustained antibacterial effect. The imparted stabilization in dry conditions was studied with aerogels that were cast after mixing the enzymes with CNFs followed by dehydration (freeze-drying). The activity of lysozyme...
Understanding the interactions between enzymes and substrates and the property changes of the substrates during the process is vital for efficiently producing fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. In this manuscript, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique was employed as a tool to investigate the adsorption and hydrolysis behaviors of four fungal cellulases (Trichoderma reesei...
The beneficial effect of materials with high aspect ratio as composite reinforcement has prompted continuous interest towards cellulosic fibers. Besides providing stiffness, fibers can potentially contribute to composite extensibility. While mechanical treatments are typically used to adjust the physical and surface properties of fibers, less is known about ensuing effects on their extensibility and...
Rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystals obtained by acid hydrolysis of eucalyptus fibers (CNCa) presented high aspect ratio (estimated length and width of 180 and 5 nm, respectively) and zeta potential of −(17 ± 1) mV at pH 6. This typical morphology of cellulose nanocrystals was in contrast to nanoparticles obtained upon enzymatic hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose (CNCe), which were asymmetric and irregular...
We report on a facile photolithography-based procedure for surface energy patterning of novel micro-nano fibrillated cellulose (MNFC) films and demonstrate spatial control of protein adsorption. The kinetics of oxidative degradation of chemisorbed hydrophobic alkylsilane monolayers on MNFC upon exposure to UV/ozone and the effect on the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a function of pH...
Hybrid materials based on cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are synthesized and novel routes to couple AuNPs on the CNF surface are introduced. Quaternary ammonium, azido, alkyne and amino functional groups were used for the attachment of metal particles on the corresponding functionalized CNF (EPTMAC-CNF, Azido-CNF, Propargyl-CNF, Amino-CNF, respectively). The CNF-based supports...
Cheap, disposable bio-diagnostic devices are becoming increasingly prevalent in the field of biosensing. Earlier we had reported the ability of cellulosic surface to control the nucleation of plasmonic silver nanoparticles and in this report we utilize this nucleation controlling property to demonstrate a new plasmonic sensing mechanism based on paper substrates to quantitatively detect proteins....
Cellulosic microfibrils (SMF) and microparticles (SMP) extracted from soybean hulls were used in films and also combined with wood-based micro and nanofibrillar cellulose (MNFC) in hybrid systems. During film consolidation a remarkable reduction in water drainage was observed in the presence of SMF and SMP. The hybrid films displayed strength (elastic modulus and strength at rupture) and barrier performance...
A novel method for the preparation of composites based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and micro- and nano-fibrillated cellulose (M/NFC) is reported. The addition of crosslinking HEMA monomers and a photo-initiator enabled the formation of an interpenetrated polymer network that displayed enhanced interfacial adhesion and dispersion of (M/NFC) in the matrix. Photo-crosslinked PVA/(M/NFC)/polyHEMA composite...
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were functionalized in aqueous media at the reducing, aldehyde ends of cellulose. CNC oxidation to produce carboxyl groups was followed by carbodiimide-mediated reaction to install thiol groups. The selectivity and extent of thiolation at the reducing ends was qualitatively confirmed by imaging (transmission electron microscopy) silver nanoparticles that tagged the CNC...
We fabricated self-standing films of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and electrospun composite fibers with CNC and polyvinyl alcohol both with magnetic properties arising from cobalt iron oxide nanoparticles in the CNC matrix. Aqueous dispersions of cobalt-iron oxide nanoparticles (10–80 nm diameter) and CNCs (ca. 150 nm length) were used as precursor systems for the films and composite fibers. The properties...
Nanocomposites of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) reinforced with bacterial cellulose (BC) were bioproduced by Gluconacetobacter genus bacteria. BC was grown from a culture medium modified with water-soluble PVA to allow in situ assembly and production of a novel nanocomposite that displayed synergistic property contributions from the individual components. Chemical crosslinking with glyoxal was performed...
Organic aerogels based on two important and widely abundant renewable resources, soy proteins (SP) and nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) are developed from precursor aqueous dispersions and a facile method conducive of channel- and defect-free systems after cooling and freeze-drying cycles that yielded apparent densities on the order of 0.1 g/cm3. NFC loading drives the internal morphology of the composite...
Laboratory mechanical softwood pulps (MSP) and commercial bleached softwood kraft pulps (BSKP) were mechanically fibrillated by stone grinding with a SuperMassColloider®. The extent of fibrillation was evaluated by SEM imaging, water retention value (WRV) and cellulase adsorption. Both lignin content and mechanical treatment significantly affected deconstruction and enzymatic saccharification of fibrillated...
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