Eco-friendly nanocellulose composites for stabilizing nanoemulsion insecticides: Enhancing efficacy and weather...

In modern agriculture, insecticides are essential for effective pest control, but traditional formulations often suffer from low utilization due to accidental spatter, rebound, and rain erosion. To address these challenges, we developed a green oil-in-water nanoemulsion stabilized by amyloid protein/cellulose nanocrystal (PTB/CNC) composites. The conformational transformation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form phase change amyloid protein (PTB) was induced by tri (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP), and its excessive self-aggregation was inhibited by cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), successfully constructing PTB/CNC nanocomposites. The resulting PTB/CNC nanocomposites exhibit excellent interfacial activity, biocompatibility, and long-term stability. The PTB/CNC nanoemulsion showed exceptional deposition on superhydrophobic leaves, with a contact angle of 85.5° on lotus leaves and complete suppression of rebound. It retained 84 % of the formulation after simulated heavy rainfall (150 mm), a six-fold improvement over conventional emulsifiable concentrate (EC). Field experiments have proved that the harvest yield of crops has increased by more than 15 %. The system is compatible with various vegetable oils, and residues are readily removable. This eco-friendly delivery system offers a sustainable solution for reducing pesticide usage and environmental impact.