Nanocellulose is well known to self-assemble into liquid crystal phases that can interact with light giving rise to selective reflections and, under the right conditions, structural color and circular polarization of the interacting radiation. These effects have been well established, notably in cellulose nanocrystal dispersions and solid films but also; careful control of the assembly has allowed to maintain the intricate chiral structures after processing of the materials into highly porous aerogels. Based on this background, in this talk I will share our recent work on nanocellulose aerogels as optically active materials. Specifically, I will focus on the interaction of light with ordered aerogel structures and interfaces between nanocellulose and conductive nanomaterials (e.g. silver, carbon and mxenes) giving rise to interference and birefringence well beyond the visible range. These tunable optical and anisotropic properties may contribute to the development of radiation protective materials and new high frequency optical devices such as phase shifters, polarizers and filters.

Optically active nanocellulose aerogels

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