microfibrilbased

Microfibril-based refers to materials and structures in which microfibrils serve as the principal building blocks. Microfibrils are slender fibrils with diameters ranging from tens of nanometers to a few micrometers and lengths that can stretch over several micrometers, yielding high aspect ratios. They occur naturally in many biological systems, notably cellulose microfibrils in plant cell walls and collagen or chitin microfibrils in connective tissues, and they can also be produced synthetically via mechanical and chemical processing to form nanofibrils.

Common microfibril types include cellulose microfibrils and proteinaceous microfibrils. As networks or lattices, they provide a reinforcing framework that increases stiffness, strength, and toughness while maintaining low weight. The interfaces between microfibrils and surrounding matrices strongly influence mechanical performance and transport properties.

Fabrication and assembly typically involve mechanical fibrillation, enzymatic pretreatment, or selective chemical processing to release microfibrils from natural sources. These microfibrils are then assembled into films, hydrogels, or porous foams, frequently with aligned or oriented structures achieved through shear, extrusion, or flow fields, and sometimes modified with surface chemistries to improve compatibility.

Key properties of microfibril-based materials include high stiffness-to-weight ratios, high surface area, tunable porosity, and pronounced barrier effects in films. Their transparency in thin films and potential biodegradability are advantageous for sustainable applications. However, moisture sensitivity and tendencies to reaggregate pose processing challenges.

Applications span packaging and coatings, biocomposites, tissue engineering scaffolds, wound dressings, and sensing platforms. Ongoing research aims to improve scalability, functionalization, and compatibility with nonpolar polymers, as well as to optimize dispersion, cost, and end-of-life options.