International team of researchers find flaws in cellulose nanocrystals structure
In Japan, chemists in Japan, Canada and Europe have uncovered flaws in the surface structure of cellulose nanocrystals—an important step toward deconstructing cellulose to produce renewable nano-materials relevant to biochemical products, energy solutions, and biofuels.
The findings—published in Science Advances—are the most detailed look yet at the surface chemistry and structure of individual cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) particles.
The team, led by researchers at Kanazawa University, applied three-dimensional atomic force microscopy (3D-AFM) and molecular dynamics simulations to individual CNC fibres in water. The high-resolution scanning revealed new details of the cellulose chain arrangements on the CNCs surfaces.
For the most part, the structure of a single CNC fibre showed honeycomb or zigzag chain arrangements on crystalline portions, interspersed with disordered, non-crystalline regions at irregular intervals. The researchers uncovered structural defects associated with the non-crystalline regions of the surface.
Category: Research
