Web Release Date: November 30,
Preparation and Liquid Crystalline Properties of Spherical Cellulose Nanocrystals
and
College of Material Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China, and Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Materials Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
Received March 11, 2007
In Final Form: November 13, 2007
Abstract:
A novel kind of spherical cellulose nanocrystal (SCNC) suspension was prepared by hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose with a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid under ultrasonic treatment. The mechanism of SCNC formation and the liquid crystalline properties of their suspensions were investigated. A suspension of spherical particles was usually inclined to form crystallization colloids rather than liquid crystals at high concentration. However, a SCNC suspension with high polydispersity (49%) was observed to form the liquid crystalline phase, and the liquid crystalline textures changed with increasing concentration. This observation offers an approach to the liquid crystal formation of highly polydisperse spherical nanoparticles.
Download the full text: PDF | HTML
