Bio-inspired modification of nanocellulose based on in-situ homogeneous radical coupling of coniferin

A bioinspired method for surface modification of nanocellulose has been proposed, drawing inspiration from the lignification process in plant cell walls. Unlike traditional methods for synthesizing dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs) of lignin, this study innovatively prepared a water-soluble DHPs precursor, coniferin, which underwent homogeneous polymerization catalyzed by peroxidase to generate DHPs that adhered to the surface of nanocellulose. Modified nanocellulose was then filtered into membranes, and the presence of DHPs increased the water contact angle, achieving high hydrophobicity with little DHPs content. Heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) NMR analysis revealed that nanocellulose does not alter the chemical structure of DHPs. These results indicate that this method can effectively load DHPs onto the surface of nanocellulose, providing a new approach for preparing DHP-integrated nanocellulose and offering fresh insights into the lignification process of plant cell walls. [Display omitted] •Surface modification of nanocellulose in a biomimetic fashion•Investigating the surface energy of nanocellulose by Owens–Wendt–Rabel–Kaelble method•Regulated nanocellulose's surface properties by dehydrogenative polymers (DHPs) integrating