Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) form suspensions with chiral nematic order. This order can be preserved in films cast from the suspensions, raising the possibility of applications as photonic materials and templates. However it has proved difficult to generate uniform, well-ordered chiral nematic materials from CNC. Recently, the importance of kinetic arrest due to gel formation in the later stages of evaporation has been recognized as a key step in governing the structure of CNC films cast from suspensions. Recent developments regarding the organization of chiral nematic suspensions and films as monitored by polarized light microscopy are outlined, and attention is drawn to the importance of shear forces on the self-organization process.

Control of cellulose chiral nematic structure

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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