Plant Cell Wall-Like Soft Materials: Micro- and Nanoengineering, Properties, and Applications
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Plant cell wall (CW)-like soft materials, referred to as artificial CWs, are composites of assembled polymers containing micro-/nanoparticles or fibers/fibrils that are designed to mimic the composition, structure, and mechanics of plant CWs. CW-like materials have recently emerged to test hypotheses pertaining to the intricate structure-property relationships of native plant CWs or to fabricate functional materials. Here, research on plant CWs and CW-like materials is reviewed by distilling key studies on biomimetic composites primarily composed of plant polysaccharides, including cellulose, pectin, and hemicellulose, as well as organic polymers like lignin. Micro- and nanofabrication of plant CW-like composites, characterization techniques, and in silico studies are reviewed, with a brief overview of current and potential applications. Micro-/nanofabrication approaches include bacterial growth and impregnation, layer-by-layer assembly, film casting, 3-dimensional templating microcapsules, and particle coating. Various characterization techniques are necessary for the comprehensive mechanical, chemical, morphological, and structural analyses of plant CWs and CW-like materials. CW-like materials demonstrate versatility in real-life applications, including biomass conversion, pulp and paper, food science, construction, catalysis, and reaction engineering. This review seeks to facilitate the rational design and thorough characterization of plant CW-mimetic materials, with the goal of advancing the development of innovative soft materials and elucidating the complex structure-property relationships inherent in native CWs.
Source: Nano-Micro Letters
Institution: Pennsylvania State University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,690
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, Office of Science, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation, Basic Energy Sciences, Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation
Awards: TAS::89 0227::TAS RECOVERY; RECOVERY ACT - CENTER FOR LIGNOCELLULOSE STRUCTURE AND FORMATION -- EFRC; PI - DANIEL COSGROVE, G1199548893, G1870677656, G1948681064, TAS::89 0227::TAS RECOVERY; RECOVERY ACT - CENTER FOR LIGNOCELLULOSE STRUCTURE AND FORMATION -- EFRC; PI - DANIEL COSGROVE, G4481177325, G5025091364, G604936351, Science and Technology Center for Engineering Mechano-Biology
OpenAlex ID: W4406178074