Impact of Hydrogen Bonding in Natural Cellulose Fibers on Plasmonic Nanoparticles

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hydrogen bonds in natural cellulose on luminescent properties, specifically focusing on controlling optical characteristics by tuning hydrogen bond interactions through the incorporation of light scattering from gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The results from gold nanoparticles are that all samples exhibited strong plasmonic scattering within the 350-800 nm range, albeit with varying intensities. This study demonstrates that cellulose combined with AuNPs is highly effective for light scattering applications due to the reflective properties of cellulose and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects of AuNPs. The enhancement of the autofluorescence signal increased about 2X relative to the Agave-AuNP sample and 67% higher than pure agave cellulose autofluorescence. Moreover, a quenching effect was observed in the mixture of cellulose, C₉H₂₃NO₃Si, (APTES) and AuNPs attributed to hydrogen bond interactions, which diminished the light scattering properties. To understand the autofluorescence properties of cellulose and its interaction with metal nanoparticles, these composite materials are promising candidates for novel applications in bioimaging, sensing, and optoelectronic devices.