Processable Pickering emulsion for composite cryogel with cellulose nanofibrils and nanochitin

Rao Guo; Hao Li; Kunyang Liu; Haotian Xu; Kaiyue Wang; Zhaolin Yang; Yin Zhao; Siqi Huan; Chuanling Si; Chengyu Wang

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122034

Processable Pickering emulsion for composite cryogel with cellulose nanofibrils and nanochitin

Carbohydr Polym. 2024 Jun 15:334:122034. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122034. Epub 2024 Mar 8.

Authors

Rao Guo¹, Hao Li¹, Kunyang Liu¹, Haotian Xu¹, Kaiyue Wang¹, Zhaolin Yang¹, Yin Zhao¹, Siqi Huan², Chuanling Si³, Chengyu Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
² Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. Electronic address: siqi.huan@nefu.edu.cn.
³ Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China. Electronic address: sichli@tust.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. Electronic address: wangcy@nefu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38553233
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122034

Abstract

Cryogels that are constructed with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) are important as green materials for a wide range of applications. However, their utilization is limited by inherent hydrophilicity and insufficient mechanical properties. Herein, a processable CNF/nanochitin (NCh)-stabilized Pickering emulsion that contains polylactide (PLA) in the oil phase is developed to directly produce ternary composite cryogels via freeze-drying. The complexation of CNF with NCh promotes CNF adsorption at the surface of PLA droplets, resulting in formation of uniform Pickering PLA droplets. The CNF/NCh complex-stabilized PLA droplets are easy to be translated to the internal structure of the cryogels, exhibiting lightweight nature and possessing highly porous structure. The interconnected network and lamellar structure formed by the CNF/NCh complexes, associating with inclusion of PLA particles, improve the cryogel structure integrity upon post-processing and endow hydrophilic cryogel with water resistance. This study offers a straightforward and eco-friendly Pickering emulsion template on fabrication of the CNF-based composite cryogel with controllable microstructure and mechanical performance, broadening construction of nanocellulose-based composites.

Keywords: Cellulose nanofiber; Composite cryogel; Nanochitin; Pickering emulsion template; Polylactide.