Simple preparation of cellulose microspheres based on a regeneration process

This study reports a one-step method for preparing and functionalizing cellulose microspheres (RC-m) from cellulose lysates via a regeneration process. The RC-m prepared at a lower energy consumption exhibited smaller sizes and more regular morphologies. The RC-m generation mechanism during preparation was investigated from a regeneration perspective, and the factors affecting the size and shape were also examined. Moreover, the potential applications of RC-m were explored, exhibiting pronounced color contrast for enhanced smart response characteristics, good encapsulation of non-water-soluble dyes, and avoidance of leakage of pH-responsive dyes. This novel RC-m preparation method is expected to broaden the potential of using cellulose in various adsorption and smart-response applications.