Xylan is a major hemicellulosic component of hardwoods and plays an important role in physiological process and overall mechanical strength. As the most abundant noncellulosic polysaccharides in hardwood and annual plants, xylan accounts for 20%–35% of the total dry weight and can be produced from different kinds of wood and agro-based materials using various extraction methods. It has drawn considerable interest due to the potential for packaging films, coatings and its use in biomedical products. Although the structure and role of xylan at the molecular level have been revealed, xylan nanocrystal has not been reported so far. Meanwhile, the soft amorphous structure has limited the functional research and application of xylan in, for example, cytoskeleton and reinforcing biomaterials area.<br/> <br/>In this contribution, we have successfully produced self-seeded xylan nanocrystals. They differ from cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) in several key aspects: they have controllable length and uniform width distrubution, and they are prepared by a bottom-up approach from dissolved xylan, for example. Moreover, the structure of this new hemicellulose nanocrystal and its interaction with solvents within the crystal morphology are uncovered, through which we can better understand and discover the potential application of hemicellulose in general. Since hemicellulose is biologically compatible, it could open possibilities in biomimetic toughening, drug delivery, membranes, biosensors and bioactive systems.<br/>

Novel method to prepare hemicellulose nanocrystals

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.