title: Supracolloidal multivalent interactions and wrapping of dendronized glycopolymers on native cellulose nanocrystals.
abstract: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are high aspect ratio colloidal rods with nanoscale dimensions, attracting considerable interest recently due to their high mechanical properties, chirality, sustainability, and availability. In order to exploit them for advanced functions in new materials, novel supracolloidal concepts are needed to manipulate their self-assemblies. We report on exploring multivalent interactions to CNC surface and show that dendronized polymers (DenPols) with maltose-based sugar groups on the periphery of lysine dendrons and poly(ethylene-alt-maleimide) polymer backbone interact with CNCs. The interactions can be manipulated by the dendron generation suggesting multivalent interactions. The complexation of the third generation DenPol (G3) with CNCs allows aqueous colloidal stability and shows wrapping around CNCs, as directly visualized by cryo high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography. More generally, as the dimensions of G3 are in the colloidal range due to their ~6 nm lateral size and mesoscale length, the concept also suggests supracolloidal multivalent interactions between other colloidal objects mediated by sugar-functionalized dendrons giving rise to novel colloidal level assemblies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Molecular Materials, §Department of Forest Products Technology, and ∥Nanomicroscopy Center, Aalto University (formerly Helsinki University of Technology) , FI-00076 Aalto, Espoo, Finland.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majoinen
authors.forename: Johannes S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Haataja
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Appelhans
authors.forename: Albena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lederer
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olszewska
authors.forename: Jani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seitsonen
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Aseyev
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kontturi
authors.forename: Henna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rosilo
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Österberg
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Houbenov
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ikkala