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Rapid Nanocellulose Wet Nanoimprint Lithography for Tunable Structural Color.

Hui Mao1, Zain Ahmad1, Lu Xin1

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.

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|December 23, 2025
PubMed
Summary

We developed a rapid nanopatterning method for cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films, creating structural color in minutes. This technique offers a faster, tunable alternative to traditional CNC self-assembly for advanced optical materials.

Keywords:
cellulose nanocrystalnanocellulosenanoimprint lithographypatterningstructural color

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Optics

Background:

  • Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) self-assembly typically requires hours to days to form chiral nematic structures for structural color.
  • Existing methods for patterning CNC films are often time-consuming and lack precise control over optical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a rapid nanopatterning approach for cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films to generate structural color.
  • To significantly reduce the fabrication time compared to conventional CNC self-assembly methods.
  • To investigate and optimize parameters for high-fidelity pattern transfer and tunable structural color.

Main Methods:

  • Employed wet-nanoimprint lithography (wet-NIL) using a semipermeable membrane for rapid water removal during pattern transfer and film formation.
  • Investigated the influence of nanocellulose type, concentration, rheology, imprint pressure, temperature, and pattern geometry.
  • Utilized light scattering and microscopy to assess dynamic response and durability across humidity cycles, water contact, and long-term storage.

Main Results:

  • Achieved nanopatterned CNC films with structural color in minutes, 3-4 orders of magnitude faster than typical CNC self-assembly.
  • Identified key parameters influencing pattern fidelity and reduced fabrication time.
  • Demonstrated dynamic response, durability over 12 months, and optimized color selection for a large angular range of single colors.

Conclusions:

  • The wet-NIL approach provides a rapid, sustainable, and tunable method for creating structural color in CNC films.
  • This technique offers a significant advancement over traditional CNC self-assembly and hybrid methods for optical applications.
  • The optimized films exhibit robust optical performance and durability, suitable for various applications.