title: Responsive mesoporous photonic cellulose films by supramolecular cotemplating.
abstract: Cellulose-based materials have been and continue to be exceptionally important for humankind. Considering the bioavailability and societal relevance of cellulose, turning this renewable resource into an active material is a vital step towards sustainability. Herein we report a new form of cellulose-derived material that combines tunable photonic properties with a unique mesoporous structure resulting from a new supramolecular cotemplating method. A composite of cellulose nanocrystals and a urea-formaldehyde resin organizes into a chiral nematic assembly, which yields a chiral nematic mesoporous continuum of desulfated cellulose nanocrystals after alkaline treatment. The mesoporous photonic cellulose (MPC) films undergo rapid and reversible changes in color upon swelling, and can be used for pressure sensing. These new active mesoporous cellulosic materials have potential applications in biosensing, optics, functional membranes, chiral separation, and tissue engineering.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1 (Canada) http://www.chem.ubc.ca/mark-maclachlan.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Giese
authors: Lina K
authors: LK
authors: Blusch
authors: Mostofa K
authors: MK
authors: Khan
authors: Wadood Y
authors: WY
authors: Hamad
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: MacLachlan
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles; D017785:Photons; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014508:Urea / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde; D014508:Urea; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: cellulose; color tuning; liquid crystals; mesoporous materials; photonic materials