Publications by authors named "K Mazeau"

Rectangular V-amylose single crystals were prepared by adding racemic ibuprofen to hot dilute aqueous solutions of native and enzymatically-synthesized amylose. The lamellar thickness increased with increasing degree of polymerization of amylose and reached a plateau at about 7 nm, consistent with a chain-folding mechanism. The CP/MAS NMR spectrum as well as base-plane electron and powder X-ray diffraction patterns recorded from hydrated specimens were similar to those of V-amylose complexed with propan-2-ol.

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In plant cell walls, xylan chains present various substituents including acetate groups. The influence of the acetyl substitution on the organization of xylan-cellulose complexes remains poorly understood. This work combines in vitro and in silico approaches to decipher the functional role of acetyl groups on the xylan/cellulose interaction.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cellulose microfibrils serve as crucial structural components in wood and plants, offering impressive mechanical strength that makes them ideal for eco-friendly materials.
  • The study uses atomistic simulations to explore the plastic shear resistance of cellulose crystals, focusing on how their atomic structure influences their behavior under stress.
  • Findings reveal that shear in perfect cellulose crystals occurs through localized bands with dilatancy, while crystalline defects like dislocations significantly reduce strength, similar to behaviors seen in metals.
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Crystal models of cellulose Iβ and II, which contain various hydrogen bonding (HB) networks, were analyzed using density functional theory and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) simulations. From the CPMD trajectories, the power spectra of the velocity correlation functions of hydroxyl groups involved in hydrogen bonds were calculated. For the Iβ allomorph, HB network A, which is dominant according to the neutron diffraction data, was stable, and the power spectrum represented the essential features of the experimental IR spectra.

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The adsorption of urea on cellulose at room temperature has been studied using adsorption isotherm experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The immersion of cotton cellulose into bulk urea solutions with concentrations between 0.01 and 0.

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