"Grafting-to" Polymers of Xylan-g-allyl Glycidyl Ether Toughen PEG Hydrogel via Microphase Separation: Thermoresponsive and Photoreactive Molecular Assembly in DLP 3D Printing.

Utilizing naturally derived biopolymers in the macromolecular design of thermoresponsive polymers offers sustainable and biodegradable smart building blocks to functional materials. Here, a novel graft polymer of xylan-g-allyl glycidyl ether (xylan-g-AGE) that is thermoresponsive to self-assemble and photoreactive in photopolymerization is reported. This research highlights an innovative use of the debranched wood xylan, a chemically engineered linear polysaccharide of β-1,4-linked xylose, as the backbone in grafting polymer, which allows a greater degree of spatial coordination for sidechains than the analogous cellulose.

A Green Cellulose Dissolution System for Producing Tunable Regenerated Nanocellulose Formate.

Different from the most used ionic liquids or cosolvents of the cellulose dissolution system, we reported a cellulose dissolution method by coupling LiBr·3HO preimpregnation at room temperature (RT) with dissolution of cellulose in formic acid (FA) for controllable production of nanocellulose. This method yields a high solubility (up to 10 wt %) of cellulose, which consequently facilitates the preparation of tunable regenerated nanocellulose formate (RNCF) with versatile applications. The LiBr·3HO preimpregnation at RT significantly improved the dissolution efficiency of cotton pulp by increasing cellulose accessibility via largely breaking hydrogen bonds and deconstructing the cellulose crystalline structure.

A tough, stretchable, adhesive and electroconductive polyacrylamide hydrogel sensor incorporated with sulfonated nanocellulose and carbon nanotubes.

Recently, hydrogel sensors have been widely applied in wearable and portable electronics, but the low mechanical property, intolerance of fatigue, and low sensitivity and adhesion limit their further applications. In this study, sulfonated nanocellulose (SCNF) with dual functionality was blended into polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel matrix to reinforce the mechanical strength and facilitate the homogeneous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The SCNF-CNT/PAM hydrogel was designed through free radical polymerization to achieve commendable mechanical, electrical, and multifunctional properties.

Tailoring Functionality of Nanocellulose: Current Status and Critical Challenges.

Nanocellulose (NC) isolated from natural cellulose resources, which mainly includes cellulose nanofibril (CNF) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), has garnered increased attention in recent decades due to its outstanding physical and chemical properties. Various chemical modifications have been developed with the aim of surface-modifying NC for highly sophisticated applications. This review comprehensively summarizes the chemical modifications applied to NC so far in order to introduce new functionalities to the material, such as silanization, esterification, oxidation, etherification, grafting, coating, and others.

Robust, Scalable, and Cost-Effective Surface Carbonized Pulp Foam for Highly Efficient Solar Steam Generation.

Recently, a solar-driven evaporator has been applied in seawater desalination, but the low stability, high cost, and complex fabrication limit its further application. Herein, we report a novel, low-cost, scalable, and easily fabricated pulp-natural rubber (PNR) foam with a unique porous structure, which was directly used as a solar-driven evaporator after facile surface carbonization. This surface carbonized PNR (CPNR) foam without interface adhesion or modification was composed of a top photothermal layer with light absorption ability and a bottom hydrophilic foam layer with a porous and interconnected network structure.

Facile Fabrication of Cellulose Nanofibrils/Chitosan Beads as the Potential pH-Sensitive Drug Carriers.

It is highly desirable to develop a safe, highly efficient, and biodegradable drug carrier with an enhanced drug transport efficiency. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and chitosan (CS) composite hydrogels are promising candidate carriers with biological compatibility and non-cytotoxicity. Herein, the CNF/CS composite beads were prepared by dissolving cellulose and CS in LiBr molten salt hydrate and regenerating in ethanol.

Cellulose nanofibril as a crosslinker to reinforce the sodium alginate/chitosan hydrogels.

Hydrogels derived from natural polymers have received great attention, but their practical applications are severely hindered by the relatively poor mechanical properties. In this work, cellulose nanofibril (CNF) was used as a crosslinker to reinforce the sodium alginate (SA)/chitosan (CS) hydrogels for drug sustained release. The CNF was prepared via a combined process of ball milling and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) pretreatment and characterized using SEM, FT-IR, and XRD.