Project Team
Students
Mitra Salari
Chemical Engineering
Penn State Berks
Jeff Lin
Chemical Engineering
Penn State Hazleton, Penn State University Park
Faculty Mentors
Amir Sheikhi
Penn State University Park
Department of Chemical Engineering
Roya Koshani
Penn State University Park
Department of Chemical Engineering
Lucas Franz
Penn State University Park
Department of Chemical Engineering
Khaled Abdulla Alnuaimi
Penn State University Park
Chemical Engineering
Project
Project Video
Project Abstract
Nanomaterials are often synthesized from environmentally hazardous metals that negatively impact ecosystems, highlighting the need for bio-based alternatives. Cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer in the world, gained attention due to its renewability, sustainability, functionalization potential, and cost efficiency. Despite significant efforts to create cellulose nanomaterials, they suffer from insufficient functional group density, necessitating the development of a new family of nanomaterials known as hairy cellulose nanocrystals (HCNC). HCNC particles feature a crystalline core with amorphous regions attached on either side, resulting in a remarkably higher density (i.e., one order of magnitude) of functional groups. HCNC can be functionalized to introduce negatively charged carboxyl groups (> 5 mmol g-1), referred to as anionic hairy cellulose nanocrystals (AHCNC), which have diverse applications across industries such as packaging, food, biomedicine, and green nanotechnology. These AHCNC nanoparticles can be further crosslinked to create tunable hydrogels suitable for superabsorbents, scaffolds, tissue engineering, wound dressings, and the food industry. This project presents a proprietary process for crosslinking AHCNC, facilitating the engineering of multifunctional hydrogels for real-world applications.
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