Search

Periodate oxidation reaction occurring directly on chitin has been neglected in polysaccharide chemistry so far. Herein, we present the first direct alkaline periodate oxidation of chitin, which demonstrates at the same time a novel approach for the preparation of chitin nanocrystals (ChNCs). This oxidation is based on an unprecedented selective reaction of non-ordered domains of chitin by the dimeric orthoperiodate ions (H2I2O104−) as the major species in alkaline surroundings. Nearly 50 wt% of non-ordered regions are dissolved after sequential accelerated partial deacetylation, periodate oxidation and β-alkoxy fragmentation, which allows the isolation of up to 50 wt% of uniform anisotropic zwitterionic ChNCs.

An efficient approach for the characterization of core–shell polymer hybrid nanoparticles is presented. Selective signal amplification by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is employed to shed more light on the molecular structure of surface sites and shell of the particles. DNP-enhanced 29Si solid-state NMR is used to clearly prove the core–shell structure of the nanoparticles as well as the success of their functionalization with low amounts of trimethylsiloxy groups. By combination of DNP-enhanced 1H → 29Si and 1H → 13C cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning experiments, differently substituted alkoxysilane moieties, namely, methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyltriisopropoxysilane, and 3-methacryloxypropyltris(methoxyethoxy)silane, are investigated, revealing various cross-linking capabilities of the particle shell. This knowledge about efficiency of surface functionalization and cross-linking sites strongly influences the application and properties of the core–shell polymer hybrid p...

In this work, the preparation of porous hybrid particle-based films by core-shell particle design and convenient film preparation is reported. Monodisperse core particles consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate‑co‑allyl methacrylate) (P(MMA‑co‑ALMA)) were synthesized by starved-feed emulsion polymerization followed by the introduction of an initiator-containing monomer (inimer) for subsequent atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The inimer shell allowed for the introduction of allylhydrido polycarbosilane (SMP-10) under ATRP conditions by grafting to the core particles. The functionalization of the prepared core-shell particles was investigated by IR spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and solid-state NMR combined with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The obtained hard core/soft preceramic shell particles were subjected to the melt-shear organization technique, enabling a convenient alignment into a colloidal crystal structure in one single step without the presence of a dispersion medium or solvent for the designed particles. Moreover, the hybrid particle-based films were converted into a porous ceramic structure upon thermal treatment. As a result, freestanding ceramic porous films have been obtained after degradation of the organic template core particles. Noteworthy, the conversion of the matrix material consisting of SMP-10 into the ceramic occurred with preservation of the pristine colloidal crystal template structure. Herein, the first example of core-shell particle preparation by combining different polymerization methodologies and application of the convenient melt-shear organization technique is shown, paving a new way to ceramic materials with tailored morphology and porosity. Keywords: Hybrid film, Emulsion polymerization, ATRP, Self-assembly, Colloidal crystal, Particle processing

13C and 15N solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) combined with dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is used to investigate the structure of dye-doped biopolymer-based materials that can be used in amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) experiments. By comparing calligraphic paper prepared from cellulose and scaffolds prepared from chitosan as substrates, differences in the interactions of the carrier material with the dye molecule Calcofluor White are obtained. These are most probably induced by structural changes of the carrier material due to its interaction with water forming hydrogen bonds. Such structural differences may explain the obtained variation of the emission wavelength of Calcofluor White doped on these substrates in ASE experiments.

Many efforts have been made to isolate native nanocrystals from raw materials in the last two decades, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), but existing methods still suffer from low yields, complicated synthesis processes, and nonuniform sizes of obtained CNCs. This study concerns a facile, self-terminating, and efficient method for the formation of uniform CNCs in high yields during the periodate oxidation process within Pickering emulsions. A biphasic system containing hexane with dissolved hexylamine and an aqueous solution of sodium periodate (NaIO4 ) was used as the reaction medium. Regulated by hexylamine, owing to its limited solubility in water, the pH value of the aqueous phase was enhanced to around 9.8, leading to the precipitation of sodium orthoperiodate (Na2 H3 IO6 ) nanoplates and thus the formation of the initial Pickering emulsions. During the gradual formation of cellulose nanofibers and then CNCs, CNCs were attracted to stabilize the interface of the Pickering emulsions, which prevented further decomposition of CNCs by the oxidizing agent in aqueous suspensions. Thus, this isolation strategy secured the efficient separation of CNCs based on their own particular amphiphilic properties and achieved a high yield of up to 56 wt %.