EUBCE 2026 - Junho SHIN - Production and Characterization of CMCNF Hydrogels with Bio-Based Crosslinker

Production and Characterization of CMCNF Hydrogels with Bio-Based Crosslinker

Short Introductive summary

Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer on Earth and combines intrinsic porosity, biodegradability, and nontoxicity, positioning it as a platform for next generation sustainable materials. Among cellulose derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose nanofibrils CMCNF possess high surface area and the ability to form dense hydrogen bonding networks, enabling applications in bioinks, smart sensors, electrolyte matrices, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Reliance on purely physical networks, however, limits mechanical strength and structural stability, especially under humid conditions. This study introduces a bio based crosslinker to overcome these limitations. Hemicellulose derived from Quercus serrata was oxidized with sodium periodate to prepare dialdehyde hemicellulose DAH. Freeze cast CMCNF at 2 wt% was immersed in a solution of 0.5 M citric acid and DAH from 0 to 100 wt% to induce acetal crosslinking. FTIR and XPS confirmed crosslink progression through a decrease in hydroxyl groups and an increase in C-O-C linkages. With increasing DAH content, compressive strength increased monotonically, Young’s modulus peaked at zero percent then decreased at low DAH and partial

J. Shin, Seoul National University, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Y. Cho, Seoul National University, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
G. Han, Seoul National University, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
J. Choi, Seoul National University, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
H. Kim, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Ulsan, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
I. Choi, Seoul National University, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA