Cellulose-based aerogels modulate fragrance adsorption and controlled release by carbonization/in-situ aromatization

Fragrances are indispensable additives in consumer products including foods, cosmetics, and tobacco products. However, their inherent instability leads to rapid quality degradation and performance loss, driving the urgent need for controlled-release systems to stabilize fragrance performance. In this work, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were used to prepare CNF aerogel-like gels (CA) and carbonized CNF aerogels (C-CA) through freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization. Two model fragrance molecules such as d-limonene (DL) and methyl dihydrojasmonate (MD) were loaded into the aerogels and aerogel-like gels using vapor-phase adsorption and in-situ method. The study systematically evaluated how material types, loading methods, fragrance properties influence adsorption and controlled-release performance. The results demonstrate that the unique porous structure of the materials and the formation of hydrogen bonds contribute to the adsorption and controlled release of fragrance molecules. The fragrance-loaded aerogels and aerogel-like gels achieved tunable loading capacities ranging from 10.04 to 578.09 mg/g. Temperature-controlled experiments demonstrated adjustable fragrance release percentages, enabling the selection of tailored aerogel materials for specific application environments in controlled-release systems. These findings advance the simple design of CNF-based aerogels and aerogel-like gels delivery systems for precise fragrance control.