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7.8 Ion-specific Assembly of Nanocellulose in Theory and Application

Tobias Benselfelt

Assistant professor

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Nanoparticles with dimensions below roughly 20 nm are highly influenced by the properties of the counter-ion cloud, occupying a significant portion of the effective nanoparticle volume in aqueous dispersions.(1) The exchange between counter-ions with different properties thus substantially impacts the colloidal behavior of nanoparticles and their salt-controlled assembly into materials. Most nanocelluloses have diameters within this critical size range, and even down to a few nanometers, where the use of continuum theories, such as the DLVO theory based on the Poisson-Boltzmann theory to describe double layer repulsion and the Hamaker theory to describe van der Waals attraction, becomes at least questionable. These highly charged nano-systems are better explained by ion-ion correlation and specific ion effects (Hofmeister effects), currently the most accepted theories.(2-4)
This contribution will describe the colloidal behavior of nanocellulose and other nanoparticles based on ion-ion correlation and specific ion effects (Figure 1). Examples will be provided where this knowledge can be used to understand assemblies of nanocellulose, such as hydrogels,(5) water-resilient films,(6-8) filaments prepared by flow-focusing,(9) and chiral nematic phases.(10) The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview and to discuss how this knowledge can be used in the rational design of nanocellulose-based materials.

References:

1. Silvera Batista CA, Larson RG, Kotov NA. Nonadditivity of nanoparticle interactions. Science. 2015;350(6257).

2. Guldbrand L, Jönsson B, Wennerström H, Linse P. Electrical double layer forces. A Monte Carlo study. The Journal of Chemical Physics. 1984;80(5):2221-8.

3. Kunz W. Specific ion effects in colloidal and biological systems. Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science. 2010;15(1):34-9.

4. Boström M, Williams DRM, Ninham BW. Specific Ion Effects: Why DLVO Theory Fails for Biology and Colloid Systems. Phys Rev Lett. 2001;87(16):168103.

5. Dong H, Snyder JF, Williams KS, Andzelm JW. Cation-Induced Hydrogels of Cellulose Nanofibrils with Tunable Moduli. Biomacromolecules. 2013;14(9):3338-45.

6. Shimizu M, Saito T, Isogai A. Water-resistant and High Oxygen-barrier Nanocellulose Films with Interfibrillar Cross-linkages Formed Through Multivalent Metal Ions. J Membr Sci. 2016;500:1-7.

7. Benselfelt T, Nordenström M, Hamedi MM, Wågberg L. Ion-induced Assemblies of Highly Anisotropic Nanoparticles are Governed by Ion–ion Correlation and Specific Ion Effects. Nanoscale. 2019;11(8):3514-20.

8. Benselfelt T, Nordenström M, Lindström SB, Wågberg L. Explaining the Exceptional Wet Integrity of Transparent Cellulose Nanofibril Films in the Presence of Multivalent Ions—Suitable Substrates for Biointerfaces. Advanced Materials Interfaces. 2019;6(13):1900333.

9. Mittal N, Benselfelt T, Ansari F, Gordeyeva K, Roth SV, Wagberg L, et al. Ion-Specific Assembly of Strong, Tough, and Stiff Biofibers. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019;58(51):18562-9.

10. Dong XM, Gray DG. Effect of Counterions on Ordered Phase Formation in Suspensions of Charged Rodlike Cellulose Crystallites. Langmuir. 1997;13(8):2404-9.

Number: 

  • 7.8

Session: 

  • 7. Charged nanocolloids and polyelectrolyte gels

Day: 

  • Monday June 16

Time: 

  • 16:30-16:50
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Gold sponsor:

WWSC is a joint research center between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and Linköping University. The base is a donation from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The Swedish industry is supporting WWSC via the platform Treesearch.

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Email: conference2025@wwsc.se

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