Ultra�high porous foam with well�defined honeycomb structure architecture was successfully prepared from core�shell cellulose nanofibrils via freeze drying. The core�shell cellulose nanofibrils are a new design of nanofibrils coated with hemicelluloses. They show good colloidal dispersion and that enhances the formation of structured fibril network.  To fabricate the core�shell cellulose foam, a common freeze drying technique was utilized. This technique allows the growth of ice crystals and subsequent sublimation as a template that can control directly the morphology features of the porous foam.  We observed that the core�shell cellulose nanofibrils are preferentially oriented to the preferred direction of freezing. The developed porous material has a unique design of a highly�ordered porous framework (Fig. 1) with structural hierarchy of nanofibrillar networks (Fig. 2). The structural framework of the core�shell nanocellulose network is highly uniform and that differs from previously study of nanocellulose foam. Direct consequence is a great improvement in rigidity of the porous foam. 

Architecture of ultra�high porous honeycombs prepared from core�shell nanocellulose: Structure and mechanical performance

247th National Meeting (2014)

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