Fabrication of bamboo nanocellulose fibril-based food packaging with dual-antimicrobial property.

The development of cellulose-based packaging films with excellent antimicrobial properties and biocompatibility has garnered significant attention. In this work, nanocellulose fibrils (NCFs) derived from from bamboo parenchyma cells were utilized to fabricate nanocomposite film with antimicrobial properties. This system exhibited distinct release behaviors for two antimicrobial agents, with the slow release of Ag nanoparticle (AgNP) in the initial stage contributed to delaying food spoilage, while the subsequent pH change in the microenvironment facilitated the release of essential oil of sour orange blossoms (SEO) for secondary antimicrobial activity. Additionally, the composite film demonstrated improved thermal stability and UV blocking capacity. Moreover, AgNP has been proven to enhance the mechanical properties, with the tensile strength of the novel composite film increasing by 34.85 % compared to control group. The water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability of the novel composite film were reduced, which could potentially reduce weight loss and slow down the rate of after-ripening. Following the acidification treatment, the films containing EO@MPN (essential oil encapsulated with metal-polyphenol network) component performed different antimicrobial patterns, indicating their pH-responsive antimicrobial capabilities, and they are effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. After a 24-h exposure to a food simulant, the release amount of Ag was measured at 67.6 µg/dm2, within the acceptable limit, and the release profile of Ag was characterized. Cytotoxicity and Live/Dead staining tests confirmed that the novel composite film film had no significant toxicity, thus making it safe for application in food preservation. Furthermore, in a 15-day preservation experiment with mangoes, the novel composite film demonstrated the best performance, underscoring its potential as a sustainable antimicrobial packaging material.

BACTERIAL NANOCELLULOSE DRESSING COMPARED WITH HYDROCOLLOID DRESSING FOR THE TREATMENT OF PARTIAL-THICKNESS SECOND-DEGREE BURNS: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL.

The management of burn wounds is a major challenge throughout the globe. Superficial and partial-thickness burns generally do not need any surgical intervention, however, severe cases of burn injury require dressings (antimicrobial) and surgery in the worst-case scenario. The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of bacterial nanocellulose dressing versus hydrocolloid dressing. All patients presenting with partial-thickness second-degree burns from June 2021 to May 2022 were screened for this randomized control trial; 65 burn patients were included in each group of this trial. The control group of patients was treated with hydrocolloid dressing and the experimental group with bacterial nanocellulose dressing sheets. Every third day, the wound was assessed. Other data collected included age, sex, %TBSA burned, signs of infection, time for epithelialization, and length of hospital stay. Statistical analyses were performed to see the significance of differences between the treatment groups by adjusting for size and depth of burn, and the patient's age. There were 130 patients (65 in each group). The median age for the whole group was 17.4 years, and 51.53% (n=67) were males. The average TBSA was 22.4%, with a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 31%. Eleven of the patients had their burns excised, and four were given skin grafts in the control group. In the case of the experimental group, four excisions were performed, and one skin graft. Wound-related pain scores were low (mean of 2.6) for the bacterial nanocellulose group and higher for the hydrocolloid group. Hydrocolloid dressing is more cost effective than bacterial nanocellulose dressing. However, the pain scores were high, and healing time was less in the bacterial nanocellulose group. Moreover, the hydrocolloid group is more prone to infection due to frequent dressing changes.

La prise en charge des brûlés est un problème mondial de santé publique. Si les brûlures superficielles et intermédiaires guérissent habituellement spontanément, les plus sévères nécessitent une prise en charge chirurgicale, après pansements antibactériens. Cette étude a pour but de comparer l'efficacité des pansements à l'hydrocellulose bactérien et l'hydrocolloïde. Tous les patients souffrant de brûlures intermédiaires vus entre juin 2021 et mai 2022 ont été tirés au sort pour former 2 groupes de 65, de 17,4 ans d'âge médian avec une légère prédominance masculine (67 soit 51,53%), brûlés sur 22,4% de SCT en moyenne (10-31). Le groupe contrôle avait des pansements à l'hydrocolloïde (HC), le groupe à l'étude au nanocellulose bactérien (NB), la plaie étant évaluée tous les 3 jours. Les variables à l'étude étaient l'âge, le sexe, la surface brûlée, les signes d'infection, le délai d'épithélialisation et la durée de séjour. Les comparaisons ont été ajustées sur la surface, la profondeur et l'âge. Dans le groupe HC, 11 patients ont été excisés et 4 greffés contre 4 et 1 dans le groupe NB. La douleur des NB était à 2,6 ; elle était plus élevée dans le groupe HC. Le NB est plus cher que le HC. Il faut toutefois rapporter ce coût à une douleur moindre et à une cicatrisation plus rapide. Qui plus est, les patients sous HC sont plus à risque d'infection en raison de changements de pansements plus fréquents.

3D structural analysis of the biodegradability of banana pseudostem nanocellulose bioplastics.

X-Ray micro-computed tomography (XCT) is used to reveal the micro-structural changes of banana pseudostem nanocellulose bioplastic due to a biodegradation process initiated in a formulated composting media that allowed the growth of aerobic microflora. The bioplastic itself was made of nanocellulose, which was isolated from banana pseudostem using the 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) mediated oxidation method, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as plasticiser. XCT provided insights into the 3D structural change of the bioplastic identifying the degradation process at two scales. The results showed that the local thickness and roughness of the bioplastic increased after degradation, while the density of the material decreased. Enlarged voids and tunnels were observed in the material after degradation. The formation of these tunnels is attributed to the popping of internal PEG-containing voids because of the generation of gases, which after forming may further accelerate biodegradation by microbial activity.

Strong, tough self-healing multi-functional sodium alginate-based edible composite coating for banana preservation.

Edible coatings are a new green technology for preventing the rotting of fruits and extending their shelf lives. However, during storage, respiratory processes can generate large amounts of water, causing the dissolution of these coating. Furthermore, these coating can be mechanically damaged. Therefore, the development of strong, tough, waterproof and self-healing edible coatings is highly desirable. Herein, gluconolactone was slowly oxidized to generate gluconic acid, which was further used to protonate amino groups in wheat gluten (WG), forming strong electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds and ester bonds between soy hull nanocellulose (SHNC) and sodium alginate (SA). The introduction of WG and SHNC improved the mechanical strength, hydrophobicity and water retention of the composite film from 28 MPa, 33.2° ± 1.18° and 19.43° ± 0.83° to 60 MPa, 45.13° ± 1.53° and 41.47° ± 0.96°, respectively. Further, the composite film exhibited excellent self-healing, UV resistance and gas-barrier properties. Banana preservation experiments showed that at 25 °C and 50 % RH, the composite coating effectively slowed the mass loss and softening of bananas, delayed the browning of banana peels and ripening of fruit pulp, and extended the shelf life of bananas to 7 days. Therefore, this study provides a new perspective for the preparation of a new, strong, tough, waterproof and self-healing multi-functional edible coating with high potential for the preservation of perishable fruits.

Enhanced rheology and firefighting performance of fluorine-free soft foams through the assembly of cellulose nanofibres and cellulose nanocrystals at the air-liquid interface.

In this work, we developed soft and highly stable perfluorocarbon-free foams based on cellulose nanofibres (CNFs), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and alkyl polyglycoside (APG). Neither the CNCs nor the CNFs can effectively stabilise the APG foam, which is reflected in the spontaneous degradation of the foam. Interestingly, blending these two nanocelluloses and foaming resulted in an ultrastable foam. The reflective optical interference technique was used to visualise liquid flow in the liquid film, and the results showed that the foam film with a thickness of only a few tens of nanometres gained excellent mechanical stability by tuning the assembly of CNCs and CNFs at the air-liquid interface. Moreover, the interfibril interactions at the Plateau borders reduce the bubble coarsening rate and drainage rate. In pool fire extinguishing tests, increasing the total concentration of CNCs and CNFs improved the foam stability, but increasing the viscosity led to a decrease in the foam spreading rate. Thus, a formulation with 0.4 % nanocellulose has poorer firefighting performance than a formulation with 0.15 % nanocellulose. When the ratios of CNCs and CNFs are properly controlled, the burnback performance of perfluorocarbon-free foam is better than that of state-of-the-art fluorinated AFFFs for n-heptane pool fires. The sustainability of the firefighting process is considerably improved by switching to the nonperfluorinated liquid foam developed in this work.

Innovative Adsorbents for Pollutant Removal: Exploring the Latest Research and Applications.

The growing presence of diverse pollutants, including heavy metals, organic compounds, pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants, poses significant environmental and health risks. Traditional methods for pollutant removal often face limitations in efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in innovative adsorbents designed to address these challenges. It explores a wide array of non-conventional adsorbent materials, such as nanocellulose, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), graphene-based composites, and biochar, emphasizing their sources, structural characteristics, and unique adsorption mechanisms. The review discusses adsorption processes, including the basic principles, kinetics, isotherms, and the factors influencing adsorption efficiency. It highlights the superior performance of these materials in removing specific pollutants across various environmental settings. The practical applications of these adsorbents are further explored through case studies in industrial settings, pilot studies, and field trials, showcasing their real-world effectiveness. Additionally, the review critically examines the economic considerations, technical challenges, and environmental impacts associated with these adsorbents, offering a balanced perspective on their viability and sustainability. The conclusion emphasizes future research directions, focusing on the development of scalable production methods, enhanced material stability, and sustainable regeneration techniques. This comprehensive assessment underscores the transformative potential of innovative adsorbents in pollutant remediation and their critical role in advancing environmental protection.

Plasma Treatment of Nanocellulose to Improve the Surface Properties.

Nanocellulose is among the most promising materials for enhancing the mechanical properties of polymer composites. Broad application is, however, limited by inadequate surface properties. A standard technique for tailoring the surface composition and wettability of polymers is a brief treatment with non-equilibrium gaseous plasma, but it often fails when treating materials with a large surface-to-mass ratio, such as cellulose nanofibers. In this paper, the theoretical limitations are explained, the approaches reported by different groups are reviewed, and the results are interpreted. The treatment of dry nanocellulose is limited by the ability of uniform treatment, whereas the plasma treatment of nanocellulose dispersed in liquids is a slow process. The methods for enhancing the treatment efficiency for both dry and water-dispersed nanocellulose are explained.

Effect of Antisolvent Used to Regenerate Cellulose Treated with Ionic Liquid on Its Properties.

The solvolysis reaction with ionic liquids is one of the most frequently used methods for producing nanometer-sized cellulose. In this study, the nanocellulose was obtained by reacting microcrystalline cellulose with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimOAc). The aim of this research was to determine the influence of various antisolvents used in the regeneration of cellulose after treatment with ionic liquid on its properties. The following antisolvents were used in this research: acetone, acetonitrile, water, ethanol and a mixture of acetone and water in a 1:1 v/v ratio. The nanocellulose was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental analysis (EA). The results show that the antisolvent used to regenerate cellulose after the solvolysis reaction with EmimOAc affects its properties. Water, ethanol and a mixture of acetone and water successfully removed the used ionic liquid from the cellulose structure, while acetone and acetonitrile were unable to completely remove EmimOAc from the cellulosic material. The results of the XRD analysis indicate that there is a correlation between the ionic liquid content in the regenerated cellulose and its degree of crystallinity. Among the tested solvents, water leads to the effective removal of EmimOAc from the cellulose structure, which is additionally characterized by the smallest particle size and non-formation of agglomerates.

Characterization of Alginate-Crystalline Nanocellulose Composite Hydrogel as Polyphenol Encapsulation Agent.

Alginate hydrogel is broadly known for its potential as an encapsulation agent due to its compatibility and versatility. Despite its predominance, alginate hydrogel naturally has macropores and a less rigid structure, which leads to syneresis and uncontrolled diffusion of bioactive compounds from the gel network. Combining alginate with other biopolymers has been considered to improve its properties as an encapsulation agent. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) to the physical properties and the diffusion of gallic acid (GA), as a water-soluble polyphenol model, through the alginate-CNC composite hydrogels performed as an encapsulation agent. The hydrogel mixtures were made from 1:0, 1:1, 2:0, 2:1, 2:2, and 2:3 solid-basis ratio of sodium alginate:crystalline nanocellulose and evaluated for syneresis, gel strength and stiffness, rehydration properties and gel porosity. Alginate-CNC and GA interaction was observed through zeta-potential analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Results showed that composite hydrogel with the highest proportion of CNC increased the gel rehydration capacity (87.33 %), gel strength and stiffness as well as reduced the gel syneresis (14.72 %) and dried gel porosity (0.62). GA pre-loaded gel with 2:2 and 2:3 S-C ratios reduced the diffusion of gallic acid by 92.07-92.27 %. FTIR showed hydrogen bonding between GA and the alginate-CNC hydrogel. Alginate-CNC hydrogel had a fibrous and compact structure as shown in the cryo-SEM and confocal microscope images.

A tough, stretchable, adhesive and electroconductive polyacrylamide hydrogel sensor incorporated with sulfonated nanocellulose and carbon nanotubes.

Recently, hydrogel sensors have been widely applied in wearable and portable electronics, but the low mechanical property, intolerance of fatigue, and low sensitivity and adhesion limit their further applications. In this study, sulfonated nanocellulose (SCNF) with dual functionality was blended into polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel matrix to reinforce the mechanical strength and facilitate the homogeneous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The SCNF-CNT/PAM hydrogel was designed through free radical polymerization to achieve commendable mechanical, electrical, and multifunctional properties. The environmental-friendly SCNF serves as bio-templates to facilitate the assembling of CNT into integrated SCNF-CNT structures with good dispersity, thus enabling the establishment of an integrated conducting and reinforcing network. The fabricated SCNF-CNT/PAM hydrogel exhibited outstanding compressive strength (∼0.45 MPa at 50 % strain), tensile strength (∼169.12 kPa), and antifatigue capacity under cyclic stretching and pressing. Furthermore, the multifunctional sensors assembled using this hydrogel demonstrated high strain sensitivity (gauge factor ~ 3.7 at 100-400 % strain) and effectively detected human motions. This design principle provides promising prospects for constructing next-generation multifunctional flexible sensors, and the integration of these distinctive properties enables the prepared composite hydrogels to find potential applications in various areas, such as implantable soft electronic devices, electronic skin, and human movement monitoring.

Ultrasound effect on a biorefinery lignin-cellulose mixture.

Forest biorefineries provide multiple new avenues for applied research. The main concept lies in the malleability of the processes and their stepwise organization. The core element of the biorefinery concept addressed in the present study is the pretreatment step; here, wood biomass is converted into free hemicellulosic sugars, lignin and cellulose. In traditional approaches, the pretreatment step is a starting point for isolating and separating lignin or cellulose through different processes. In this study, instead of performing any separation, a lignin-cellulose mixture was used as its own material, and the effects of ultrasound treatment with a probe system at 20 kHz, with various amplitude, sonication time and dry matter content were investigated with the aim of assessing the formation of a nanocellulose structure with a high lignin content (>30 %) and investigating the stability of the lignin-cellulose mixture under aqueous conditions. We demonstrated the importance of dry matter content for the specific particle size and water retention values for this mixture. US treatment of lignin-cellulose mixtures <4 % dry matter formed a gel-like material, with low particle size (90 % below 30 µm and smallest at nanoscale). Low dry matter loading led to better US transfer and higher conversion of cellulose to <100 nm nanoparticles. Our study can serve as a baseline for future developments in the field of stable emulsions, filtering materials or inputs for material synthesis.

Molecular-level design of alternative media for energy-saving pilot-scale fibrillation of nanocellulose.

The outstanding mechanical properties, light weight, and biodegradability of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) make them promising components of renewable and sustainable next-generation reinforced composite biomaterials and bioplastics. Manufacturing CNFs at a pilot scale requires disc-refining fibrillation of dilute cellulose fibers in aqueous pulp suspensions to shear the fibers apart into their nanodimensional forms, which is, however, an energy-intensive process. Here, we used atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to examine media that might facilitate the reduction of interactions between cellulose fibers, thereby reducing energy consumption in fibrillation. The most suitable medium found by the simulations was an aqueous solution with 0.007:0.012 wt.% NaOH:urea, and indeed this was found in pilot-scale experiments to reduce the fibrillation energy by ~21% on average relative to water alone. The NaOH:urea-mediated CNFs have similar crystallinity, morphology, and mechanical strength to those formed in water. The NaOH and urea act synergistically on CNFs to aid fibrillation but at different length scales. NaOH deprotonates hydroxyl groups leading to mesoscale electrostatic repulsion between fibrils, whereas urea forms hydrogen bonds with protonated hydroxyl groups thus disrupting interfibril hydrogen bonds. This suggests a general mechanism in which an aqueous medium that contains a strong base and a small organic molecule acting as a hydrogen-bond acceptor and/or donor may be effectively employed in materials processes where dispersion of deprotonable polymers is required. The study demonstrates how atomic-detail computer simulation can be integrated with pilot-scale experiments in the rational design of materials processes for the circular bioeconomy.

Self-Assembly of Soft and Conformable Broadband Absorbing Nanocellulose-Gold Nanoparticle Composites.

Broadband light-absorbing materials are of large interest for numerous applications ranging from solar harvesting and photocatalysis to low reflection coatings. Fabrication of these materials is often complex and typically utilizes coating techniques optimized for flat and hard materials. Here, we show a self-assembly based strategy for generating robust but mechanically flexible broadband light-absorbing soft materials that can conform to curved surfaces and surface irregularities. The materials were fabricated by adsorbing large quantities of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the nanofibrils of hydrated bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes by tailoring the interaction potential between the cellulose nanofibrils and the AuNPs. The highly efficient self-assembly process resulted in very dense multilayers of AuNPs on the nanofibrils, causing extensive broadening of the localized surface plasmon resonance band and a striking black appearance of the BC membranes. The nanocomposite materials showed an absorptance >96% in both the visible and the near-infrared wavelength range. The AuNP-functionalized BC membranes demonstrated excellent conformability to curved and structured surfaces and could adopt the shape of highly irregular surface structures without any obvious changes in their optical properties. The proposed self-assembly based strategy enables the fabrication of soft and conformable broadband light-absorbing nanocomposites with unique optical and mechanical properties using sustainable cellulose-based materials.

Comparing gastric emptying of cellulose nanocrystals with sodium alginate and pectin using a dynamic in vitro stomach model.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are increasingly recognized for their potential in various applications, including packaging, cosmetics, and biomedical engineering. Due to their gelation properties influenced by pH and ionic strength, CNC could impact gastric emptying and satiety, beneficial for managing obesity and diabetes. This study investigated the gastric emptying of CNC (4 % and 8 %, w/w) in comparison with sodium alginate (2 %, w/w) and pectin (2 %, w/w), exploring the effect of divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) using a dynamic gastric digestion model. CNC, in the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, formed a high-viscosity gel network under gastric conditions, leading to delayed gastric emptying. While alginate formed strong gels with Ca2+, it did not significantly delay gastric emptying due to the poor water-holding capacity of its gel network. Pectin showed minimal impact on gastric emptying. Among the treatments, the half-time (t1/2) of gastric emptying for 8 % CNC with Ca2+ was observed to be the longest at 215.4 ± 23.7 min, compared to the shortest times observed with pectin at 15.1 ± 1.4 min. The results suggest that different mechanisms are involved in the gastric emptying effect of different dietary fibers, and CNC is more effective than alginate and pectin assisting in promoting gastric retention and aiding in the management of body weight. This study also introduced a novel application of the dynamic gastric digestion model for estimating digestion energy expenditure, providing insights into the impact of dietary fiber on gastric emptying and satiety enhancement.

Efficient dye removal using manganese oxide-modified nanocellulosic films from sugarcane bagasse.

Removing toxic dyes from industrial wastewater is crucial for environmental protection. This research introduced novel composite films of manganese oxide (MnO2)-modified nanocellulose (MCel) and unmodified nanocellulose (Cel) derived from sugarcane bagasse for dye removal. Nanocellulose was extracted from sugarcane bagasse and subsequently transformed into MCel through in-situ MnO2 synthesis. The MCel/Cel composites, with various MCel to Cel ratios, were fabricated into films and evaluated for their efficiency in removing methylene blue (MB). The films were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for functional group analysis, X-ray diffraction for crystallinity, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for chemical state analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy for morphology and elemental composition, and Thermogravimetric Analysis for thermal behaviors. Adsorption results showed that all MCel/Cel composite films achieved over 97 % removal of MB (initial concentration 100 mg L-1) within 24 h, with convenient adsorbent retrieval after adsorption. The adsorption process followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The optimal 95:5 MCel/Cel film exhibited a rate constant of 6.16 × 10-4 g mg-1 min-1 and the calculated adsorption capacity of 181.85 mg g-1. These results demonstrate significant potential for wastewater treatment and sustainable waste valorization by converting sugarcane bagasse cellulose into environmentally friendly adsorbents for contaminant removal.

Dicarboxylate cellulose nanofibrils-supported silver nanoparticles as a novel, green, efficient and recyclable catalyst for 4-nitrophenol and dyes reduction.

This study reports dicarboxylate cellulose nanofibrils (DCNF) as a novel reducing and supporting agent for producing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with high efficiency (63.82 % reduction) and loading (6.88 %) using UV light. Unlike previous research, AgNPs formation with DCNF doesn't involve cellulose oxidation. Instead, it appears to involve a loss of carboxyl groups from DCNF. In comparative studies, pristine CNF (PCNF) and TEMPO-oxidized CNF (TOCNF) were also examined for AgNPs production. The resulting AgNPs from DCNF exhibited a significantly smaller average size (3.9 ± 0.7 nm) compared to those from PCNF (26.9 ± 10.9 nm) and TOCNF (13.5 ± 4.5 nm). Catalytic activity evaluation by the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction reaction revealed a high rate constant of 8.47× 10-3 s-1 by AgNPs/DCNF, which surpassed AgNPs/TOCNF (1.79 × 10-3 s-1) and AgNPs/PCNF (0.63 × 10-3 s-1) by 4.7 and 13.4 times, respectively. Besides 4-NP, AgNPs/DCNF aerogels were also applied for methyl orange and Rhodamine B dyes reduction. The aerogels showed excellent reusability, maintaining over 95 % conversion even after five cycles and also effective in treating real samples and mixed dye solutions. This study opens the door for future research exploring DCNF as a support material for various metal, metal oxide, and carbon nanoparticles.

Nanocellulose separation from barley straw via ultrasound-assisted choline chloride - Formic acid deep eutectic solvent pretreatment and high-intensity ultrasonication.

The present study aims at investigating the application of ultrasound assisted choline chloride (ChCl) - formic acid (FA) deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment of Barley straw. In addition, the efficiency of a wet grinding followed by high intensity ultrasound (HIUS) treatment for production of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) has been evaluated. The DES (using ChCl: FA at 1:9 M ratio) treatment at 45 kHz ultrasound frequency and 3 h of treatment duration resulted in 84.68 ± 1.02 % and 82.96 ± 0.79 % of lignin and hemicellulose solubilisation, respectively. The purification of DES treated solid residue resulted in cellulose with more than 90 % purity. Further, 10 min of wet grinding followed by 40 min of HIUS treatment resulted in more than 80 % nano-fibrillation efficiency. The produced CNF had diameters less than 100 nm in number size distribution and type I cellulose structure. This study confirmed that the developed process offers a sustainable method for producing nanocellulose from agricultural waste.

How Far Is the Nanocellulose Chip and Its Production in Reach? A Literature Survey.

The slowdown of Moore's Law necessitates an exploration of novel computing methodologies, new materials, and advantages in chip design. Thus, carbon-based materials have promise for more energy-efficient computing systems in the future. Moreover, sustainability emerges as a new concern for the semiconductor industry. The production and recycling processes associated with current chips present huge environmental challenges. Electronic waste is a major problem, and sustainable solutions in computing must be found. In this review, we examine an alternative chip design based on nanocellulose, which also features semiconductor properties and transistors. Our review highlights that nanocellulose (NC) is a versatile material and a high-potential composite, as it can be fabricated to gain suitable electronic and semiconducting properties. NC provides ideal support for ink-printed transistors and electronics, including green paper electronics. Here, we summarise various processing procedures for nanocellulose and describe the structure of exclusively nanocellulose-based transistors. Furthermore, we survey the recent scientific efforts in organic chip design and show how fully automated production of such a full NC chip could be achieved, including a Process Design Kit (PDK), expected variation models, and a standard cell library at the logic-gate level, where multiple transistors are connected to perform basic logic operations-for instance, the NOT-AND (NAND) gate. Taking all these attractive nanocellulose features into account, we envision how chips based on nanocellulose can be fabricated using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool chains.

Nanocellulose prepared with γ-valerolactone pretreatment and its enhancement in colored paper.

New techniques are always demanded to pursuit green and economical ways for nanocellulose preparation. We herein proposed to use γ-valerolactone (GVL) to facilitate the nanocellulose preparation from bleached bamboo pulp fibers as a green and sustainable pretreatment. The GVL pretreatment caused the bamboo fibers to destruct, resulting in an obviously increased fine fiber content, which was systematically studied to disclose the influence of different factors on the fiber changes. The optimum GVL pretreatment conditions were determined as reaction time of 4 h, reaction temperature of 140 °C and the ratio of GVL to water of 4:1. Notably, the GVL pretreatment caused negligible changes in the functional groups on cellulose, as well as its crystalline structure. The resultant nanocellulose (i.e. G-CNF) had a width of ca. 47 nm and it showed good adsorption capacity towards RR195 dye since an impressive dye uptake rate of 46.81 % was attained. The incorporation of G-CNF significantly improved the coloring performance and the ∆E (color difference) value reached up to 33.73. Improvements in the mechanical properties of RR195 dyed paper were also observed with the incorporation of G-CNF. This work sheds light on the nanocellulose preparation with GVL pretreatment and demonstrates a feasible way to apply the resultant nanocellulose in the colored paper manufacture.

Enhanced nanocellulose extraction from date palm waste: green solvent hydrolysis with transition metal complex.

This study presents a novel method for nanocellulose production using [Bmim]Cl as a green solvent, with enhanced hydrolysis efficiency achieved through the addition of a transition metal complex as a catalyst. The redox capability of the transition metal complex to break the glycosidic bonds in cellulose is amplified by the addition of an oxidizing agent. This protocol represents the latest innovation in the field of nanocellulose production, resulting in improved yield and reduced particle size. Nanocellulose (NC) was extracted from date seeds using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim]Cl coupled with a transition metal complex comprising copper metal and pyridine as a ligand along with H 2 O 2 as an oxidizing agent. Unlike conventional [Bmim]Cl hydrolysis, which typically yields only microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), this approach resulted in a 25% higher yield of NC than that of MCC. Dynamic light scattering analysis showed a substantial reduction in hydrodiameter from 1200 nm for MCC to 128.7 nm for NC, highlighting the remarkable efficiency of this process. Thermal analysis demonstrated the high stability of NC, which showed a T onset of 286 °C and an activation energy ( E a ) of 220.41 kJ/mol. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that NC possessed a high degree of crystallinity ( C rl = 70.28%). Furthermore, NC underwent modification with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane to replace free hydroxyl groups (-OH), making it redispersal and suitable for various applications. This modification was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which showed the presence of characteristic functional groups, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, which verified the elemental composition. Zeta potential measurements revealed surface charge differences, with MCC at - 27.87 mV, NC at - 27.28 mV, and modified NC at - 44.72 mV, indicating improved colloidal stability after modification. These findings highlight the protocol's effectiveness and its potential impact on the NC production industry, offering improved yields and the production of nanosized fibers using green solvents.