Lysine-mediated surface modification of cellulose nanocrystal films for multi-channel anti-counterfeiting.

Utilizing advanced multiple channels for information encryption offers a powerful strategy to achieve high-capacity and highly secure data protection. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) offer a sustainable resource for developing information protection materials. In this study, we present an approach that is easy to implement and adapt for the covalent attachment of various fluorescence molecules onto the surface of CNCs using the Mannich reaction in aqueous-based medium. Through the use of the Mannich reaction-based surface modification technique, we successfully achieved multi-color fluorescence in the resulting CNCs. The resulting CNC derivatives were thoroughly characterized by two dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance (2D HSQC NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy. Notably, the optical properties of CNCs were well maintained after modification, resulting in films exhibiting blue and red structural colors. This enables the engineering of highly programmable and securely encoded anti-counterfeit labels. Moreover, subsequent coating of the modified CNCs with MXene yielded a highly secure encrypted matrix, offering advanced security and encryption capabilities under ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. This CNC surface-modification enables the development of multimodal security labels with potential applications across various practical scenarios.

Bio-inspired synthesis of amino acids modified sulfated cellulose nanofibrils into multivalent viral inhibitors via the Mannich reaction.

Virus cross-infection via surfaces poses a serious threat to public health. Inspired by natural sulfated polysaccharides and antiviral peptides, we prepared multivalent virus blocking nanomaterials by introducing amino acids to sulfated cellulose nanofibrils (SCNFs) via the Mannich reaction. The antiviral activity of the resulting amino acid-modified sulfated nanocellulose was significantly improved. Specifically, 1 h treatment with arginine modified SCNFs at a concentration of 0.1 g/mL led to a complete inactivation of the phage-X174 (reduction by more than three orders of magnitude). Atomic force microscope showed that amino acid-modified sulfated nanofibrils can bind phage-X174 to form linear clusters, thus preventing the virus from infecting the host. When we coated wrapping paper and the inside of a face-mask with our amino acid-modified SCNFs, phage-X174 was completely deactivated on the coated surfaces, demonstrating the potential of our approach for use in the packaging and personal protective equipment industries. This work provides an environmentally friendly and cost-efficient approach to fabricating multivalent nanomaterials for antiviral applications.

Nanolignin-based high internal phase emulsions for efficient protection of curcumin against UV degradation.

As an emulsifier, lignin exhibits excellent UV resistance on drug-loaded emulsion systems for drug delivery. However, due to the structural variation and complexity of lignins from various origins, their UV shielding performance varies with the techniques for lignin extraction, which impacts properties and the protection efficiency of lignin-based HIPEs (high internal phase emulsions). In this work, lignin nanoparticles, prepared from three lignin preparations of Eucalyptus, were used in HIPEs delivery systems to protect curcumin from degradation by UV radiation. Structures of the lignin preparations were characterized using 2D HSQC (heteronuclear single-quantum coherence) NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), 31P NMR, and GPC (gel permeation chromatography). The residual curcumin level after 36 h UV exposure in the nanolignin-based HIPEs was over 72 %, much higher than that (< 10 % after 24 h UV exposure) in the oil phase without lignin, indicating that the nanolignin-based HIPEs with enhanced UV shielding ability protect curcumin better. Of the three lignin preparations, AL (alkali lignin), with the lowest molecular weight, highest contents of phenolic hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, and highest S/G ratio, displayed the best anti-UV radiation ability and the most uniform nanoparticle size.

Scalable Fabrication of Highly Breathable Cotton Textiles with Stable Fluorescent, Antibacterial, Hydrophobic, and UV-Blocking Performance.

Multifunctional cotton textiles that are highly breathable are desirable in a broad range of applications. However, it is still a big challenge to scale up production of such multifunctional cotton textiles. Herein, we developed a simple, scalable, and benign strategy to fabricate highly breathable multifunctional cotton textiles via mild surface modification. The 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) ring and gentamycin sulfate (GS) molecules were firmly attached to the cellulose chains under room temperature via a one-pot method. The resulting modified cotton textile showed integrated performances with bright fluorescence, good antibacterial behavior, hydrophobic behavior (contact angle of 134°), and UV-blocking (UPF being up to 69.2), which are very stable toward washing and various solvents. There is no obvious change in the whiteness, thermal stability, and mechanical performance of cotton fabrics after the surface modification. What's more, the air permeability of the modified cotton fabric was up to 31.3 (cm3/cm2)/s. This study not only focuses on the materials design and large-scale fabrication but also provides stable and multifunctional cotton textiles with broad application prospects for many fields.

Facile preparation of lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils from sugarcane bagasse by mild soda-oxygen pulping.

Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) with tunable lignin contents from sugarcane bagasse were directly prepared by low-temperature soda­oxygen pulping combined with simple mechanical treatment. The residual lignin structure, morphology and physical dimensions of LCNFs, and properties of the relevant cellulose nanopapers (CNPs) were investigated. In situ 2D Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence (HSQC) NMR spectra showed ß-O-4 linkages, ferulate, and para-coumarate were well preserved in the LCNFs. Compared with the cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), LCNFs displayed a more uniform size and narrow diameter distribution. The corresponding CNPs exhibited outstanding mechanical properties (tensile strength reached 152.9 MPa), and excellent combined optical properties both in the UV blocking and visible light transparency. Moreover, the water contact angles (50.0-80.2°) of LCNFs were much higher than that of CNFs (21.7°). Direct preparation of LCNFs under mild condition would unlock the full potential of cellulosic materials and provide enhanced opportunities for cellulose to fabricate multi-functional and high-value materials.

Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid and specific detection of common genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Here, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for 11 common transgenic target DNA in GMOs. Six sets of LAMP primer candidates for each target were designed and their specificity, sensitivity, and reproductivity were evaluated. With the optimized LAMP primers, this LAMP assay was simply run within 45-60 min to detect all these targets in GMOs tested. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproductivity of the LAMP assay were further analyzed in comparison with those of Real-Time PCR. In consistent with real-time PCR, detection of 0.5% GMOs in equivalent background DNA was possible using this LAMP assay for all targets. In comparison with real-time PCR, the LAMP assay showed the same results with simple instruments. Hence, the LAMP assay developed can provide a rapid and simple approach for routine screening as well as specific events detection of many GMOs.