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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation
Published on: June 17, 2014
Functionalization and patterning of nanocellulose films by surface-bound nanoparticles of hydrolyzable tannins and
Mukta V Limaye1, Christina Schütz2, Konstantin Kriechbaum3
1Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. mvlimaye@gmail.com lennart.bergstrom@mmk.su.se and Wallenberg Wood Science Center, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden and Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Berhampur 760010, Odisha, India.
Abstract:
Inspired by the Bogolanfini dyeing technique, we report how flexible nanofibrillated cellulose (CNF) films can be functionalized and patterned by surface-bound nanoparticles of hydrolyzable tannins and multivalent metal ions with tunable colors. Molecular dynamics simulations show that gallic acid (GA) and ellagic acid (EA) rapidly adsorb and assemble on the CNF surface, and atomic force microscopy confirms that nanosized GA assemblies cover the surface of the CNF. CNF films were patterned with tannin-metal ion nanoparticles by an in-fibre reaction between the pre-impregnated tannin and the metal ions in the printing ink. Spectroscopic studies show that the FeIII/II ions interact with GA and form surface-bound, stable GA-FeIII/II nanoparticles. The functionalization and patterning of CNF films with metal ion-hydrolyzable tannin nanoparticles is a versatile route to functionalize films based on renewable materials and of interest for biomedical and environmental applications.
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