Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films
Liquid crystals (LC) have been found to have many unique characteristics during the last few decades. The liquid crystal phase is ubiquitous in the biological world, as well as in cellulose and its derivatives. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), which can obtain the chiral LC phase in aqueous suspension,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
North Carolina State University
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | BioResources |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/cellulose-nanocrystal-based-liquid-crystal-structures-and-the-unique-optical-characteristics-of-cellulose-nanocrystal-films/ |
| _version_ | 1797688534571679744 |
|---|---|
| author | Xiaoyao Wei Tao Lin Min Duan Hengli Du Xuefeng Yin |
| author_facet | Xiaoyao Wei Tao Lin Min Duan Hengli Du Xuefeng Yin |
| author_sort | Xiaoyao Wei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Liquid crystals (LC) have been found to have many unique characteristics during the last few decades. The liquid crystal phase is ubiquitous in the biological world, as well as in cellulose and its derivatives. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), which can obtain the chiral LC phase in aqueous suspension, have been attracting much attention. The unique size and properties of CNC, such as their light weight, special optical properties, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, etc., have made them widely applicable in diverse fields. This brief literature review introduces the relationship between the LC phase and CNC. Advantages of CNC as a liquid crystal forming material and the preparation of CNC are discussed. The left-handed cholesteric phase structure and the corresponding unique optical properties of CNC-based LC are described in detail. The CNC-based LC aqueous suspension and three stages of forming LC phase are also described. Then, the main reasons accounting for the brittleness and non-uniformity of pristine CNC-based LC are summarized, as well as ways to overcome these problems. Finally, some optical applications of CNC-based LC films in anti-counterfeiting, colorimetric sensors, and composite devices are considered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:32:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-70e3db45ecdc4510906f692ab547d7a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-2126 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T01:32:17Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | North Carolina State University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BioResources |
| spelling | doaj.art-70e3db45ecdc4510906f692ab547d7a02023-09-11T22:20:20ZengNorth Carolina State UniversityBioResources1930-21262021-01-011612116213710.15376/biores.16.1.WeiCellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal FilmsXiaoyao Wei0Tao Lin1Min Duan2 Hengli Du3Xuefeng Yin4College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Papermaking Technology and Specialty Paper, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Light Chemistry Engineering Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, Shaanxi, P. R. ChinaCollege of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Papermaking Technology and Specialty Paper, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Light Chemistry Engineering Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, Shaanxi, P. R. ChinaCollege of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Papermaking Technology and Specialty Paper, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Light Chemistry Engineering Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, Shaanxi, P. R. ChinaCollege of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Papermaking Technology and Specialty Paper, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Light Chemistry Engineering Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, Shaanxi, P. R. ChinaCollege of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Papermaking Technology and Specialty Paper, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Light Chemistry Engineering Education, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021, Shaanxi, P. R. ChinaLiquid crystals (LC) have been found to have many unique characteristics during the last few decades. The liquid crystal phase is ubiquitous in the biological world, as well as in cellulose and its derivatives. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), which can obtain the chiral LC phase in aqueous suspension, have been attracting much attention. The unique size and properties of CNC, such as their light weight, special optical properties, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, etc., have made them widely applicable in diverse fields. This brief literature review introduces the relationship between the LC phase and CNC. Advantages of CNC as a liquid crystal forming material and the preparation of CNC are discussed. The left-handed cholesteric phase structure and the corresponding unique optical properties of CNC-based LC are described in detail. The CNC-based LC aqueous suspension and three stages of forming LC phase are also described. Then, the main reasons accounting for the brittleness and non-uniformity of pristine CNC-based LC are summarized, as well as ways to overcome these problems. Finally, some optical applications of CNC-based LC films in anti-counterfeiting, colorimetric sensors, and composite devices are considered.https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/cellulose-nanocrystal-based-liquid-crystal-structures-and-the-unique-optical-characteristics-of-cellulose-nanocrystal-films/liquid crystalscellulose nanocrystalsleft-handed cholestericoptical propertiescnc-based lcnon-uniformity |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoyao Wei Tao Lin Min Duan Hengli Du Xuefeng Yin Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films BioResources liquid crystals cellulose nanocrystals left-handed cholesteric optical properties cnc-based lc non-uniformity |
| title | Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films |
| title_full | Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films |
| title_fullStr | Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films |
| title_short | Cellulose Nanocrystal-based Liquid Crystal Structures and the Unique Optical Characteristics of Cellulose Nanocrystal Films |
| title_sort | cellulose nanocrystal based liquid crystal structures and the unique optical characteristics of cellulose nanocrystal films |
| topic | liquid crystals cellulose nanocrystals left-handed cholesteric optical properties cnc-based lc non-uniformity |
| url | https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/cellulose-nanocrystal-based-liquid-crystal-structures-and-the-unique-optical-characteristics-of-cellulose-nanocrystal-films/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xiaoyaowei cellulosenanocrystalbasedliquidcrystalstructuresandtheuniqueopticalcharacteristicsofcellulosenanocrystalfilms AT taolin cellulosenanocrystalbasedliquidcrystalstructuresandtheuniqueopticalcharacteristicsofcellulosenanocrystalfilms AT minduan cellulosenanocrystalbasedliquidcrystalstructuresandtheuniqueopticalcharacteristicsofcellulosenanocrystalfilms AT henglidu cellulosenanocrystalbasedliquidcrystalstructuresandtheuniqueopticalcharacteristicsofcellulosenanocrystalfilms AT xuefengyin cellulosenanocrystalbasedliquidcrystalstructuresandtheuniqueopticalcharacteristicsofcellulosenanocrystalfilms |