Light-stimulated mechanically switchable, photopatternable cellulose nanocomposites

Abstract

We report light-responsive, mechanically switchable, photopatternable nanocomposites based on benzophenone-derivatized cellulose nanocrystals (Bp-CNCs).

Characterization and mechanical properties of ultraviolet stimuli‐responsive functionalized cellulose nanocrystal alginate composites

“…used the biological model of a sea cucumber to develop a CNC, 1:1 ethyleneoxide/epichlorohydrin copolymer (EO‐EPI) composite that was mechanically responsive to water . CNCs have been employed to create smart materials that are responsive to water, pH, temperature, and light . Biyani et al .…”

“…58 CNCs have been employed to create smart materials that are responsive to water, 59-61 pH, 62,63 temperature, 64,65 and light. [66][67][68] Biyani et al used two different functionalized CNCs in an EO-EPI matrix to develop photoswichable nanocomposites. One work employed the use of a radical-mediated reaction with benzo-derivatized CNCs, 66 while the other used coumarinderivatized CNCs to exploit the dimerization reaction coumarin derivatives undergo when exposed to UV.…”

“…[66][67][68] Biyani et al used two different functionalized CNCs in an EO-EPI matrix to develop photoswichable nanocomposites. One work employed the use of a radical-mediated reaction with benzo-derivatized CNCs, 66 while the other used coumarinderivatized CNCs to exploit the dimerization reaction coumarin derivatives undergo when exposed to UV. 67 Another example of the use of functionalized CNCs in the development of a lightsensitive mechanically adaptive material is by Fox et al which used thiol-ene click chemistry with allyl functionalized CNCs in a poly(vinyl acetate) matrix.…”

What do we still need to understand to commercialize cellulose nanomaterials?†

“…Over the past decade, numerous applications for CNM have been developed and investigated worldwide. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were first isolated in the laboratory by Mukherjee and Woods in 1953, 11 and a commercially scalable process for cellulose nanofiber (CNF) production was invented by ITT Rayonier in 1977. 12,13 Since then, several inventions and techniques have led to the development of pilot-scale production methods which have been implemented across the globe (CelluForce in Canada, American Process, Inc. in the United States of America and Innventia in Sweden to name a few).…”

Quick water‐responsive shape memory hybrids with cellulose nanofibers

“…Cellulose, as the most abundant polysaccharide on Earth, has been widely studied in different nano-forms, named as nanocrystal, nanowhisker, or short nanofiber, mainly for the fabrication of water responsive hybrids in virtue of its stiffness, high strength, and large surface area. [9][10][11][12][13] Previously, HU and her co-authors made much effort to study the SMCs incorporating cellulose nanowhiskers and explored the functional performance systematically and in details. The resulting SMCs showed smart responsiveness upon water triggering.…”