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<p>Structural color in cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) films originates from their chiral nematic organization, where the pitch (p) governs the reflected wavelength. However, achieving controllable pitch modulation while preserving the intrinsic crystal structure of CNCs remains challenging, as structural changes are often coupled with variations in particle size, dispersion state, and intermolecular interactions.CNCs extracted from garlic peels were assembled into structural color films and regulated using polyethylene glycol (PEG). By varying PEG content as the primary tuning parameter, a continuous red shift in the maximum reflection wavelength (λ<sub>max</sub>) from ~ 400&#xa0;nm to ~ 703&#xa0;nm was achieved. Correspondingly, the pitch increased from 286.43&#xa0;nm to 466.80&#xa0;nm, demonstrating a clear correlation between structural periodicity and optical response. Structural characterization indicated that the cellulose I crystal structure of CNCs was largely preserved after PEG incorporation, while PEG–CNC interactions and changes in local packing/orientational organization may contribute to the variation in the average helical pitch. These results suggest that PEG 400 can act as a molecular regulator for tuning the average pitch and structural color of CNC films while maintaining the essential chiral nematic organization. In addition, the CNC/PEG films exhibit improved flexibility, angle-dependent structural color, and reversible humidity-responsive behavior. This work provides a simple strategy for regulating the average pitch and optical response of agricultural-waste-derived CNC photonic films, offering insights into the design of flexible and humidity-responsive bio-based structural color materials.</p>

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PEG-regulated chiral nematic assembly and tunable structural color in cellulose nanocrystal films

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月28日

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  • Mei Li,
  • Fan Wang,
  • Tanxin Long,
  • Wenjiao Ge,
  • Liming Cao,
  • Xiaoping Fan

摘要

Structural color in cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) films originates from their chiral nematic organization, where the pitch (p) governs the reflected wavelength. However, achieving controllable pitch modulation while preserving the intrinsic crystal structure of CNCs remains challenging, as structural changes are often coupled with variations in particle size, dispersion state, and intermolecular interactions.CNCs extracted from garlic peels were assembled into structural color films and regulated using polyethylene glycol (PEG). By varying PEG content as the primary tuning parameter, a continuous red shift in the maximum reflection wavelength (λmax) from ~ 400 nm to ~ 703 nm was achieved. Correspondingly, the pitch increased from 286.43 nm to 466.80 nm, demonstrating a clear correlation between structural periodicity and optical response. Structural characterization indicated that the cellulose I crystal structure of CNCs was largely preserved after PEG incorporation, while PEG–CNC interactions and changes in local packing/orientational organization may contribute to the variation in the average helical pitch. These results suggest that PEG 400 can act as a molecular regulator for tuning the average pitch and structural color of CNC films while maintaining the essential chiral nematic organization. In addition, the CNC/PEG films exhibit improved flexibility, angle-dependent structural color, and reversible humidity-responsive behavior. This work provides a simple strategy for regulating the average pitch and optical response of agricultural-waste-derived CNC photonic films, offering insights into the design of flexible and humidity-responsive bio-based structural color materials.