High-strength cellulose fibres enabled by molecular packing

Kaiqing Yu, Chao Li, Wenhui Gu, Meilin Wang, Jiatian Li, Kai Wen, Yicheng Xiao, Shiyong Liu, Yan Liang, Wenjin Guo, Weiqiang Zhao, Jie Bai, Dongdong Ye, Yutian Zhu, Meifang Zhu (), Xiang Zhou () and Zunfeng Liu ()
Additional contact information
Kaiqing Yu: Nankai University
Chao Li: Nankai University
Wenhui Gu: Nankai University
Meilin Wang: Nankai University
Jiatian Li: Nankai University
Kai Wen: Nankai University
Yicheng Xiao: Nankai University
Shiyong Liu: Nankai University
Yan Liang: Inner Mongolia University of Technology
Wenjin Guo: Nankai University
Weiqiang Zhao: Nankai University
Jie Bai: Inner Mongolia University of Technology
Dongdong Ye: Anhui Agricultural University
Yutian Zhu: Hangzhou Normal University
Meifang Zhu: Donghua University
Xiang Zhou: China Pharmaceutical University
Zunfeng Liu: Nankai University

Nature Sustainability, 2025, vol. 8, issue 4, 411-421

Abstract: Abstract Developing high-performance bio-based fibres is highly desirable for improving the sustainability of materials. Cellulose is one of the most abundant bio-derived feedstocks to fabricate such materials. However, the fabrication of high-strength macro cellulose fibres is challenging due to the difficulty in obtaining ordered packing of cellulose molecular chains and nanocrystals in the macro-fibres. Here we develop a draw spinning/de-acetylation method to prepare cellulose fibres with highly ordered molecular packing that incorporates high strength in the obtained fibres. Specifically, a fibre draw spun from well-dispersed cellulose triacetate solution was de-acetylated to generate cellulose fibres, which were then twisted to spirally align the molecular chains. The resulting fibres exhibited mechanical strength of 3.08 GPa and toughness of 215.1 MJ m−3, much higher than existing fibre materials. This work paves the way to obtaining high-performance bio-based fibres.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01523-x

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