BioELCell impact on biomedical applications is paving the way towards a facile preparation of advanced, high-performance CNF-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) self-assembly and chiral nematic structure formation was studied simultaneously via tessellation at nano- and macrostructure levels. A combination of cellular metamaterials and long-range ordered nanoparticle composites were achieved. They will form new ranges of lightweight yet extremely strong and tough materials matching biological architectures. CNC was shown to induce extremely high, noncovalent adhesive shear strength in a fully green, cost‐effective, and aqueous‐based bio adhesive.
BioELCell demonstrated lignin nanoparticle coatings, membranes, and films with tunable structure by adjusting the drying conditions and multilayering. This provides a first insight into polydisperse lignin particle-based systems for applications in coatings, catalysis, barrier materials and flexible electronics.
CNFs were demonstrated as universal binders for micro/nanolignin particles and biogenic silica. Several supracolloidal designs were achieved through superstructuring. The CNF-based networks developed were shown to be a generic approach that was demonstrated with a variety of particles. Using similar systems, BioELCell developed platforms for carbon capture via superstructuring with CNFs.
BioELCell project set the goal to develop 1D filaments based on micro/nanocellulose and nanochitin originating from crab/shrimp shell residuals as well as those produced from fungi and insects. Such efforts was highly successful by using wet and dry spinning. Microfiber and filaments were conveniently modified to install conductive, magnetic, phase change, heating, and thermo-chromic features.
Functional 2D coatings and films enabled flexible electronics with special properties at surface and bulk levels, such as conductivity, (super)hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, transparency, tailorable porosity, and magnetic shielding. These designs were demonstrated as active components in various types of electronic devices. In a recent effort, inkjet-printed cellulose nanospheres were patterned on cellulose films to produce immunoassays for rapid and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid detection.
Moving to 3D systems, BioELCell produced several breakthroughs in the formulation of foams and emulsions (multiphase systems), which are critical for the synthesis of next generation structured materials. For instance, direct ink writing (DIW) with two-phase emulgels including cellulose-and chitin nanoparticles, provided programmable and customizable platforms to engineer hierarchically organized constructs. We demonstrated the concept of dynamic supramolecular hydrogel-reinforced emulgels to overcome the significant limitations of DIW of Pickering emulsions. Acetylated nanocellulose and lignin nanoparticle bioinks were introduced as means to open the possibility for reliable and scaleup fabrication of scaffolds for cellular processes, tissue engineering and green approaches to traditional printing. Green and sustainable CNF-reinforced tannin foams were also presented for insulation and to endow stronger, lighter, and fire-resistant solution that can replace those produced from EPS and other foams as well as those that require formaldehyde crosslinking.
