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Eco-friendly redispersible cellulose nanocrystal pastes enabled by synergistic maltodextrin–sodium polyacrylate stabilization.

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Title: Eco-friendly redispersible cellulose nanocrystal pastes enabled by synergistic maltodextrin–sodium polyacrylate stabilization.
Authors: Xu, Yongjian1,2 (AUTHOR) xuyongjian@sust.edu.cn, Wei, Xudong1,2 (AUTHOR), Deng, Wenhuan1,2 (AUTHOR), Chen, Hao1,2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Materials Science. Feb2026, Vol. 61 Issue 5, p2941-2959. 19p.
Subjects: Cellulose nanocrystals, Maltodextrin, Drug solubility, Hydrogels, Green products, Polyacrylates, Nanostructured materials, Applied sciences
Abstract: To address the challenge of irreversible aggregation of nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) after dehydration and to prepare high-concentration redispersible CNC pastes, this study presents an eco-friendly strategy employing maltodextrin (MD) and sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) as synergistic dispersants. MD functions as a "hydrogen bonding inhibitor" whereas PAAS effectively stabilizes CNC suspensions through electrostatic repulsion. Redispersible CNC pastes with varying dehydration levels were successfully prepared via vacuum-assisted concentration. Systematic evaluations of MD/PAAS impacts on Re-CNC colloidal behavior—including the hydrodynamic diameter, particle size distribution, and surface charge (zeta potential) unveiled the identification of four optimal redispersion pathways. Crucially, the concentration-dehydration-rehydration cycle preserved CNC's intrinsic properties under optimized conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirmed the morphological integrity of CNC, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles confirmed retention of chemical functionalities and crystalline structures. The engineered pastes exhibited prolonged dispersion stability (> 30 days without sedimentation). Thermal gravimetric analysis further revealed that MD-stabilized Re-CNC maintained thermal decomposition resistance equivalent to native CNC, with PAAS integration substantially elevating thermal endurance by 18–22%. Ultimately, using redispersed cellulose nanocrystals (Re-CNC) and sodium alginate (SA) as the matrix and curcumin (Cur) as the model drug, a double-network hydrogel, Cur@Re-CNC/SA, was constructed through cross-linking with calcium gluconate. Its drug release performance was comparable to that of Cur@CNC/SA prepared from pristine CNC, verifying the feasibility of the redispersion strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:To address the challenge of irreversible aggregation of nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) after dehydration and to prepare high-concentration redispersible CNC pastes, this study presents an eco-friendly strategy employing maltodextrin (MD) and sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) as synergistic dispersants. MD functions as a "hydrogen bonding inhibitor" whereas PAAS effectively stabilizes CNC suspensions through electrostatic repulsion. Redispersible CNC pastes with varying dehydration levels were successfully prepared via vacuum-assisted concentration. Systematic evaluations of MD/PAAS impacts on Re-CNC colloidal behavior—including the hydrodynamic diameter, particle size distribution, and surface charge (zeta potential) unveiled the identification of four optimal redispersion pathways. Crucially, the concentration-dehydration-rehydration cycle preserved CNC's intrinsic properties under optimized conditions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirmed the morphological integrity of CNC, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles confirmed retention of chemical functionalities and crystalline structures. The engineered pastes exhibited prolonged dispersion stability (> 30 days without sedimentation). Thermal gravimetric analysis further revealed that MD-stabilized Re-CNC maintained thermal decomposition resistance equivalent to native CNC, with PAAS integration substantially elevating thermal endurance by 18–22%. Ultimately, using redispersed cellulose nanocrystals (Re-CNC) and sodium alginate (SA) as the matrix and curcumin (Cur) as the model drug, a double-network hydrogel, Cur@Re-CNC/SA, was constructed through cross-linking with calcium gluconate. Its drug release performance was comparable to that of Cur@CNC/SA prepared from pristine CNC, verifying the feasibility of the redispersion strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00222461
DOI:10.1007/s10853-025-11986-0