Novel Two-Step Process in Cellulose Depolymerization: Hematite-Mediated Photocatalysis by Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase and Fenton Reaction.

To transform cellulose from biomass into fermentable sugars for biofuel production requires efficient enzymatic degradation of cellulosic feedstocks. The recently discovered family of oxidative enzymes, lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO), has a high potential for industrial biorefinery, but its energy efficiency and scalability still have room for improvement. Hematite (α-Fe2O3) can act as a photocatalyst by providing electrons to LPMO-catalyzed reactions, is low cost, and is found abundantly on the Earth's surface. Here, we designed a composite enzymatic photocatalysis-Fenton reaction system based on nano-α-Fe2O3. The feasibility of using α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles as a composite catalyst to facilitate LPMO-catalyzed cellulose oxidative degradation in water was tested. Furthermore, a light-induced Fenton reaction was integrated to increase the liquefaction yield of cellulose. The innovative approach finalized the cellulose degradation process with a total liquefaction yield of 93%. Nevertheless, the complex chemical reactions and products involved in this system require further investigation.

Enhancing strength and toughness of cellulose nanofibril network structures with an adhesive peptide.

The mechanical properties of cellulose nanofibrils network structure are essential for their applications in functional materials. In this work, an adhesive peptide consisting of just 11 amino acid residues with a hydrophobic core sequence of FLIVI (F - phenylalanine, L - leucine, I - isoleucine, V - valine) flanked by three lysine (K) residues was adsorbed to 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy radical (TEMPO) oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TO-CNF). Composite films were prepared by solution casting from water suspensions of TO-CNF adsorbed with the adhesive peptide. The nanofibrils network structure of the composite was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The structure of the peptide in the composites and the interactions between TO-CNF and the peptide were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanical properties of the composites were characterized by tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). With 6.3wt.% adhesive peptide adsorbed onto TO-CNF, the composite showed a modulus of 12.5±1.4GPa, a tensile strength of 344.5±(15.3)MPa, and a strain to failure of 7.8±0.4%, which are 34.4%, 48.8%, and 23.8% higher than those for neat TO-CNF, respectively. This resulted in significantly improved toughness (work to fracture) for the composite, 77% higher than that for the neat TO-CNF.

Flexible and Responsive Chiral Nematic Cellulose Nanocrystal/Poly(ethylene glycol) Composite Films with Uniform and Tunable Structural Color.

The fabrication of responsive photonic structures from cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) that can operate in the entire visible spectrum is challenging due to the requirements of precise periodic modulation of the pitch size of the self-assembled multilayer structures at the length scale within the wavelength of the visible light. The surface charge density of CNCs is an important factor in controlling the pitch size of the chiral nematic structure of the dried solid CNC films. The assembly of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) together with CNCs into smaller chiral nematic domains results in solid films with uniform helical structure upon slow drying. Large, flexible, and flat photonic composite films with uniform structure colors from blue to red are prepared by changing the composition of CNCs and PEG. The CNC/PEG(80/20) composite film demonstrates a reversible and smooth structural color change between green and transparent in response to an increase and decrease of relative humidity between 50% and 100% owing to the reversible swelling and dehydration of the chiral nematic structure. The composite also shows excellent mechanical and thermal properties, complementing the multifunctional property profile.