{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T03:27:06Z","timestamp":1768879626255,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,16]],"date-time":"2020-02-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1581811200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program, National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["POCI- 01-0145-FEDER-007688 (Reference UID\/CTM\/50025)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["POCI- 01-0145-FEDER-007688 (Reference UID\/CTM\/50025)"]}]},{"name":"FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program, National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","award":["PTDC\/CTM-BIO\/6178\/2014"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/CTM-BIO\/6178\/2014"]}]},{"name":"FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program, National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and POR Lisboa2020","award":["PTDC\/CTM-REF\/30529\/2017 (NanoCell2SEC)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/CTM-REF\/30529\/2017 (NanoCell2SEC)"]}]},{"name":"M-ERA-NET, EU funding Network","award":["M-ERA- NET2\/0007\/2016 (CellColor)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["M-ERA- NET2\/0007\/2016 (CellColor)"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Crystals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lyotropic colloidal aqueous suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) can, after solvent evaporation, retain their chiral nematic arrangement. As water is removed the pitch value of the suspension decreases and structural colour-generating films, which are mechanically brittle in nature, can be obtained. Increasing their flexibility while keeping the chiral nematic structure and biocompatible nature is a challenging task. However, if achievable, this will promote their use in new and interesting applications. In this study, we report on the addition of different amounts of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) to CNCs suspension within the coexistence of the isotropic-anisotropic phases and infer the influence of this cellulosic derivative on the properties of the obtained solid films. It was possible to add 50 wt.% of HPC to a CNCs aqueous suspension (to obtain a 50\/50 solids ratio) without disrupting the LC phase of CNCs and maintaining a left-handed helical structure in the obtained films. When 30 wt.% of HPC was added to the suspension of CNCs, a strong colouration in the film was still observed. This colour shifts to the near-infrared region as the HPC content in the colloidal suspension increases to 40 wt.% or 50 wt.% The all-cellulosic composite films present an increase in the maximum strain as the concentration of HPC increases, as shown by the bending experiments and an improvement in their thermal properties.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cryst10020122","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,18]],"date-time":"2020-02-18T10:10:25Z","timestamp":1582020625000},"page":"122","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":38,"title":["Flexible and Structural Coloured Composite Films from Cellulose Nanocrystals\/Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Lyotropic Suspensions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9622-6498","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diogo V.","family":"Saraiva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4337-5956","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo","family":"Chagas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Beatriz M. de","family":"Abreu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Cl\u00e1udia N.","family":"Gouveia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Pedro E. S.","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9760-5983","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Helena","family":"Godinho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7871-6717","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susete N.","family":"Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"i3N\/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5438","DOI":"10.1002\/anie.201001273","article-title":"Nanocelluloses: A new family of nature-based materials","volume":"50","author":"Klemm","year":"2011","journal-title":"Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"170","DOI":"10.1016\/S0141-8130(05)80008-X","article-title":"Helicoidal self-ordering of cellulose microfibrils in aqueous suspension","volume":"14","author":"Revol","year":"1992","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3925","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.langmuir.7b04127","article-title":"Surface charge influence on the phase separation and viscosity of cellulose nanocrystals","volume":"34","author":"Abitbol","year":"2018","journal-title":"Langmuir"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1704477","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201704477","article-title":"The self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals: Hierarchical design of visual appearance","volume":"30","author":"Parker","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11515","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms11515","article-title":"Structure and transformation of tactoids in cellulose nanocrystal suspensions","volume":"7","author":"Wang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Commun."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1703655","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201703655","article-title":"Cellulose-based biomimetics and their applications","volume":"30","author":"Almeida","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cossms.2018.11.004","article-title":"Recent advances in the manipulation of circularly polarised light with cellulose nanocrystal films","volume":"23","author":"Fernandes","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Solid State Mater. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.1107\/S0365110X51000751","article-title":"Rotatory power and other optical properties of certain liquid crystals","volume":"4","year":"1951","journal-title":"Acta Cryst."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1021\/bm1010905","article-title":"Controlling the reflection wavelength of iridescent solid films of nanocrystalline cellulose","volume":"12","author":"Beck","year":"2011","journal-title":"Biomacromolecules"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1701469","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201701469","article-title":"Controlling the photonic properties of cholesteric cellulose nanocrystal films with magnets","volume":"29","author":"Guidetti","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1606208","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201606208","article-title":"Dynamically controlled iridescence of cholesteric cellulose nanocrystal suspensions using electric fields","volume":"29","author":"Radavidson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1804531","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.201804531","article-title":"Printing of responsive photonic cellulose nanocrystal microfilm arrays","volume":"29","author":"Zhao","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Funct. Mater."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2175","DOI":"10.1021\/acsanm.8b00233","article-title":"Photonic properties and applications of cellulose nanocrystal films with planar anchoring","volume":"1","author":"Saha","year":"2018","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Nano Mater."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1701323","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201701323","article-title":"Flexible and responsive chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal\/poly(ethylene glycol) composite films with uniform and tunable structural color","volume":"28","author":"Yao","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5805","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.7b18440","article-title":"Biomimetic optical cellulose nanocrystal films with controllable iridescent color and environmental stimuli-responsive chromism","volume":"10","author":"He","year":"2018","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5391","DOI":"10.1039\/C8TC01321G","article-title":"Multifunctional chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystals\/glycerol structural colored nanocomposites for intelligent responsive films, photonic inks and iridescent coatings","volume":"6","author":"Xu","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Mater. Chem. C"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5918","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.7b19375","article-title":"Rapidly responsive and flexible chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal composites as multifunctional rewritable photonic papers with eco-friendly inks","volume":"10","author":"Wan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9256","DOI":"10.1021\/la501741r","article-title":"Formation of chiral nematic films from cellulose nanocrystal suspensions is a two-stage process","volume":"30","author":"Mu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Langmuir"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1801395","DOI":"10.1002\/adom.201801395","article-title":"Chiral photonic cellulose films enabling mechano\/chemo responsive selective reflection of circularly polarized light","volume":"7","author":"Qu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Opt. Mater."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1800032","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.201800032","article-title":"Binary cellulose nanocrystal blends for bioinspired damage tolerant photonic films","volume":"28","author":"Natarajan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Funct. Mater."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Godinho, M.H., Gray, D.G., and Pieranski, P. (2017). Revisiting (hydroxypropyl) cellulose (hpc)\/water liquid crystalline system. Liq. Cryst., 1\u201313.","DOI":"10.1080\/02678292.2017.1325018"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/15421407608083894","article-title":"Liquid crystalline structure in aqueous hydroxypropyl cellulose solutions","volume":"34","author":"Werbowyj","year":"1976","journal-title":"Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"33","DOI":"10.1021\/ma00167a007","article-title":"Solid cholesteric films cast from aqueous (hydroxypropyl)cellulose","volume":"20","author":"Charlet","year":"1987","journal-title":"Macromolecules"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1002\/macp.201200351","article-title":"Structural color and iridescence in transparent sheared cellulosic films","volume":"214","author":"Fernandes","year":"2013","journal-title":"Macromol. Chem. Phys."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1603560","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201603560","article-title":"Mind the microgap in iridescent cellulose nanocrystal films","volume":"29","author":"Fernandes","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"392","DOI":"10.1002\/cjce.20298","article-title":"Structure\u2013process\u2013yield interrelations in nanocrystalline cellulose extraction","volume":"88","author":"Hamad","year":"2010","journal-title":"Can. J. Chem. Eng."},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"181","article-title":"Gwyddion: An open-source software for spm data analysis","volume":"10","author":"Klapetek","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cent. Eur. J. Phys."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.2089","article-title":"Nih image to imagej: 25 years of image analysis","volume":"9","author":"Schneider","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat. Methods"},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"ASTM (1999). Standard Test Method for Flexibility Determination of Hot-Melt Adhesives by Mandrel Bend Test Method, American Society For Testing And Materials. American Society For Testing And Materials 100 Barr Harbor Dr."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2684","DOI":"10.1021\/la404977t","article-title":"Tuning cellulose nanocrystal gelation with polysaccharides and surfactants","volume":"30","author":"Hu","year":"2014","journal-title":"Langmuir"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2012.12.019","article-title":"Qualitative and quantitative analysis of lignocellulosic biomass using infrared techniques: A mini-review","volume":"104","author":"Xu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"094008","DOI":"10.1088\/0957-4484\/25\/9\/094008","article-title":"Nanocrystalline cellulose applied simultaneously as the gate dielectric and the substrate in flexible field effect transistors","volume":"25","author":"Gaspar","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nanotechnology"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27419","DOI":"10.1080\/19443994.2016.1177733","article-title":"Modified adsorbent hydroxypropyl cellulose xanthate for removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from aqueous solution","volume":"57","author":"Zhang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Desalin. Water Treat."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1197","DOI":"10.1002\/pol.1969.160070705","article-title":"Solid-state characterization of the structure and deformation behavior of water-soluble hydroxypropylcellulose","volume":"7","author":"Samuels","year":"1969","journal-title":"J. Polym. Sci. Part A-2"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1905151","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201905151","article-title":"Visual appearance of chiral nematic cellulose-based photonic films: Angular and polarization independent color response with a twist","volume":"31","author":"Chan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12302","DOI":"10.1021\/am501995e","article-title":"Digital color in cellulose nanocrystal films","volume":"6","author":"Dumanli","year":"2014","journal-title":"Acs Appl. Mater. Interfaces"},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"art. 21","article-title":"Equilibrium liquid crystal phase diagrams and detection of kinetic arrest in cellulose nanocrystal suspensions","volume":"3","author":"Kuhnhold","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Mater."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115843","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2020.115843","article-title":"Mesophase transition of cellulose nanocrystals aroused by the incorporation of two cellulose derivatives","volume":"233","author":"Su","year":"2020","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Guo, A., Yi, G.T., Ashmead, C.C., Mitchell, G.G., de Groh, K.K., and Banks, B.A. (2013). Embrittlement of Misse 5 Polymers after 13 Months of Space Exposure, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-30229-9_35"}],"container-title":["Crystals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4352\/10\/2\/122\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T08:58:12Z","timestamp":1760173092000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4352\/10\/2\/122"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,16]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,2]]}},"alternative-id":["cryst10020122"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/cryst10020122","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-4352"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-4352","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,2,16]]}}}