title: Hydrothermal Gelation of Aqueous Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspensions.
abstract: We report the facile preparation of gels from the hydrothermal treatment of suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The properties of the hydrogels have been investigated by rheology, electron microscopy, and spectroscopy with respect to variation in the temperature, time, and CNC concentration used in preparation. Desulfation of the CNCs at high temperature appears to be responsible for the gelation of the CNCs, giving highly porous networks. The viscosity and storage modulus of the gels was shown to increase when samples were prepared at higher treatment temperature. Considering the wide natural abundance and biocompatibility of CNCs, this simple, green approach to CNC-based hydrogels is attractive for producing materials that can be used in drug delivery, insulation, and as tissue scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia , 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
authors.forename: Lev
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia , Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Maziar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia , Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Savvas G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hatzikiriakos
authors.affiliation: FPInnovations, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Wadood Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Hamad
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia , 2036 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: MacLachlan
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D013535:Suspensions; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D013535:Suspensions; D014867:Water; D002482:Cellulose