One-step hydrothermal synthesis of fluorescent nanocrystalline cellulose/carbon dot hydrogels

Wei Li; Sichun Wang; Ying Li; Chunhui Ma; Zhanhua Huang; Chunsheng Wang; Jian Li; Zhijun Chen; Shouxin Liu

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.07.062

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of fluorescent nanocrystalline cellulose/carbon dot hydrogels

Carbohydr Polym. 2017 Nov 1:175:7-17. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.07.062. Epub 2017 Jul 22.

Authors

Wei Li¹, Sichun Wang², Ying Li², Chunhui Ma², Zhanhua Huang², Chunsheng Wang³, Jian Li², Zhijun Chen⁴, Shouxin Liu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Materials Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. Electronic address: liwei19820927@126.com.
² Materials Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
³ College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China.
⁴ Materials Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
⁵ Materials Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. Electronic address: liushouxin@126.com.

PMID: 28917920
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.07.062

Abstract

Fluorescent nanocrystalline cellulose/carbon dots (NCC/CDs) hydrogels were successfully prepared by a facile one-step green hydrothermal carbonization process. The properties of NCC/CDs hydrogels prepared at different temperatures were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. NCC/CDs hydrogels with high crystallinity, high thermal stability, and excellent fluorescence properties can be obtained by controlling the hydrothermal treatment temperature. Small rod-like NCC/CDs hydrogels with a diameter of 2-6nm, a length of 40-60nm, and the cellulose Ι structure were obtained when the hydrothermal carbonization temperature was 240°C. The NCC/CDs hydrogels exhibited an excellent broad spectral response and high fluorescence stability at various pH values. Considering of the wide natural abundance of NCC and the biocompatibility of the NCC/CDs hydrogels, Preparation in this simple, green approach is attractive for future bio-medical applications.

Keywords: Fluorescence; Hydrogels; Hydrothermal; Nanocrystalline cellulose.