Construction of Functional Materials in Various Material Forms from Cellulosic Cholesteric Liquid Crystals.

Wide use of bio-based polymers could play a key role in facilitating a more sustainable society because such polymers are renewable and ecofriendly. Cellulose is a representative bio-based polymer and has been used in various materials. To further expand the application of cellulose, it is crucial to develop functional materials utilizing cellulosic physicochemical properties that are acknowledged but insufficiently applied.

Topological Transition in Spontaneously Formed Cellulosic Liquid-Crystalline Microspheres in a w/o Emulsion.

A cholesteric liquid crystal (ChLC) in a confined space has attracted significant scientific interest and has potential applications. ChLC microspheres have been obtained by devising processing such as a microfluidic technique. Herein, we adopted the self-assembly approach for the spontaneous formation of cellulosic ChLC microspheres.