Zhou Jie, Ma Yifan, Chen Junqing, Cai Ziyan, Qi Luhe, Cui Jinyi, Deng Shilin, Ouyang Wengen, Fang Zhiqiang, Qiu Xueqing, Chen Chaoji
Hubei Biomass-Resource Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology Key Laboratory, Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Emerging Functional Coating Materials, School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Papermaking and Paper-based Materials, School of Light Industry and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China.
Adv Mater. 2025 Mar;37(9):e2415313. doi: 10.1002/adma.202415313. Epub 2025 Jan 19.
Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) are ideal building blocks for creating lightweight and strong bulk structural materials due to their unique supramolecular structure and exceptional mechanical properties within the crystalline regions. However, assembling CNFs into dense bulk structural materials with customizable shape and functionalities remains a great challenge, hindering their practical applications. Here, the dewatering issue of aqueous CNF dispersions is addressed by regulating supramolecular scale hydrophilicity using lactic acid, combined with hot-press molding. This approach enables the fabrication of transparent CNF bulk structural materials with a density of up to 1.426 g cm. The mechanical properties, including isotropic in-plane tensile strength (75.5 ± 4.5 MPa), flexural strength (198 ± 20 MPa), and hardness (≈300 MPa), surpass most engineering plastics. Moreover, unlike conventional CNF based materials, the CNF bulk structural materials exhibit remarkable water stability and flame retardancy. These unique advantages open a new avenue to bottom-up assembly of CNFs into high-performance multifunctional eco-friendly structural materials, dedicating to substitution of plastics and easing the consumption of petrochemical resources.
纤维素纳米纤维（CNFs）由于其独特的超分子结构和结晶区域内出色的机械性能，是制造轻质且坚固的块状结构材料的理想构建单元。然而，将CNFs组装成具有可定制形状和功能的致密块状结构材料仍然是一个巨大的挑战，这阻碍了它们的实际应用。在此，通过使用乳酸调节超分子尺度的亲水性，并结合热压成型，解决了水性CNF分散体的脱水问题。这种方法能够制造出密度高达1.426 g/cm³的透明CNF块状结构材料。其机械性能，包括各向同性的面内拉伸强度（75.5±4.5 MPa）、弯曲强度（198±20 MPa）和硬度（约300 MPa），超过了大多数工程塑料。此外，与传统的基于CNF的材料不同，CNF块状结构材料表现出显著的水稳定性和阻燃性。这些独特的优势为将CNFs自下而上组装成高性能多功能环保结构材料开辟了一条新途径，致力于替代塑料并减少石化资源的消耗。
