Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
Transformation and Interfaces Group, Bioproducts Innovation Centre of Excellence, FPInnovations, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Biomacromolecules. 2020 Mar 9;21(3):1295-1302. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00056. Epub 2020 Feb 26.
The introduction of polymers into a chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) matrix allows for the tuning of optical and mechanical properties, enabling the development of responsive photonic materials. In this study, we explored the incorporation of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) into a CNC film prepared by slow evaporation. In the composite CNC/HPC thin films, the CNCs adopt a chiral nematic structure, which can selectively reflect certain wavelengths of light to yield a colored film. The color could be tuned across the visible spectrum by changing the concentration or molecular weight of the HPC. Importantly, the composite films were more flexible than pure CNC films with up to a ten-fold increase in elasticity and a decrease in stiffness and tensile strength of up to six times and four times, respectively. Surface modification of the films with methacrylate groups increased the hydrophobicity of the films, and therefore, the water stability of these materials was also improved.
将聚合物引入手性向列纤维素纳米晶体（CNC）基质中，可以调整光学和机械性能，从而开发出响应性光子材料。在这项研究中，我们探索了将羟丙基纤维素（HPC）掺入通过缓慢蒸发制备的 CNC 膜中。在复合 CNC/HPC 薄膜中，CNC 采用手性向列结构，可以选择性地反射特定波长的光，从而产生有色薄膜。通过改变 HPC 的浓度或分子量，可以在整个可见光谱范围内调整颜色。重要的是，复合薄膜比纯 CNC 薄膜更具弹性，弹性提高了十倍，而刚性和拉伸强度分别降低了六倍和四倍。用甲基丙烯酰基对薄膜进行表面修饰可以提高薄膜的疏水性，因此这些材料的耐水性也得到了改善。
