Controlling morphology in electrosprayed methylcellulose nanowires nanoparticle addition: coarse-grained modeling and experiments.

Electrospray deposition (ESD) has shown great promise for manufacturing micro- and nanostructured coatings at scale on versatile substrates with complex geometries. ESD exhibits a broad spectrum of morphologies depending upon the properties of spray fluids. Among them are nanowire forests or foams obtained the in-air gelation of electrospray droplets formed from methylcellulose (MC) solutions.

Self-assembly in biobased nanocomposites for multifunctionality and improved performance.

Concerns of petroleum dependence and environmental pollution prompt an urgent need for new sustainable approaches in developing polymeric products. Biobased polymers provide a potential solution, and biobased nanocomposites further enhance the performance and functionality of biobased polymers. Here we summarize the unique challenges and review recent progress in this field with an emphasis on self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles.

Biobased superhydrophobic coating enabled by nanoparticle assembly.

Understanding biobased nanocomposites is critical in fabricating high performing sustainable materials. In this study, fundamental nanoparticle assembly structures at the nanoscale are examined and correlated with the macroscale properties of coatings formulated with these structures. Nanoparticle assembly mechanisms within biobased polymer matrices were probed using liquid-phase atomic force microscopy (AFM) and computational simulation.