From Structure to Properties of Composite Films Derived from Cellulose Nanocrystals.

Many natural materials exhibit a multilayer structure in which adjacent layers rotate in a helicoidal manner. The remarkable optical and mechanical properties of these materials have motivated research and development of man-made materials with similar morphology. Among them, composite materials by cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and polymers have attracted great interest; however, the relationship between the cholesteric structure and the material properties is not well understood.