Liquid Tubule Formation and Stabilization Using Cellulose Nanocrystal Surfactants

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie (International ed.) Vol. 56; no. 41; pp. 12594 - 12598
• Main Authors: Liu, Xubo, Shi, Shaowei, Li, Yanan, Forth, Joe, Wang, Dong, Russell, Thomas P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 02-10-2017; Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: 3D printing; Assembly; Cellulose; cellulose nanocrystals; Interfaces; Jamming; Mechanical properties; Nanocrystals; Nanoparticles; Plateau–Rayleigh instability; Pollutants; Polystyrene; Polystyrene resins; Printing; structured liquids; Surfactants; Three dimensional printing; Toluene; Tubules; structured liquids; Plateau-Rayleigh instability; 3D printing; cellulose nanocrystals
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201706839

Structured liquids, generated by the interfacial formation, assembly, and jamming of nanoparticle (NP)‐surfactants at liquid/liquid interfaces, maintain all the desirable characteristics of each liquid, while providing a spatially structured framework. Herein, we show that rod‐like cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)‐based NP‐surfactants, termed CNC‐surfactants, are formed rapidly at the liquid/liquid interface, assemble into a monolayer, and, when jammed, offer a robust assembly with exceptional mechanical properties. Plateau–Rayleigh (PR) instabilities of a free‐falling jet of an aqueous medium containing the CNCs into a toluene solution of amine end‐functionalized polystyrene are completely suppressed, allowing the jetting of aqueous tubules that are stabilized when the CNC‐surfactants are jammed at the interface. These results open a new platform for the additive manufacturing techniques, for example, three‐dimensional (3D) printing, of all‐liquid constructs.
Free flowin': Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)‐based nanoparticle surfactants, termed CNC‐surfactants, are reported. By adjusting the pH, concentrations of the CNC/polymer ligands, and flow conditions, the dripping‐to‐jetting transition can be achieved easily because of the reduced interfacial energy, and the aqueous tubules can be stabilized indefinitely, which opens a new platform for additive manufacturing techniques of all‐liquid constructs.