Solvent-dependent morphology and anisotropic microscopic dynamics of cellulose nanocrystals under electric fields

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are interesting for the construction of biomaterials energy delivery and packaging purposes. The corresponding processing CNCs can be optimized through variation intercellulose interactions by employing different types solvents, thereby varying degree cellulose hydrogen bonding. aim this work is (i) to show how solvents affect self-assembled morphology CNCs, (ii) study microscopic dynamics averaged orientations on in aqueous suspensions, including effect externally imposed electric fields, (iii) explore nonlinear optical response CNCs. homogeneity chiral-nematic phase depends both polarity solvent CNC concentration. pitch length with concentration, as determined from real-space Fourier images, found strongly dependent. anisotropic microdynamics suspension exhibits two modes, related diffusion parallel perpendicular (chiral-) nematic director. We have also coupling between translational orientational motion, due existing correlation twisted elasticity. Preliminary second-harmonic generation experiments performed, which reveal that relatively high field strengths required reorient domains