Bioinspired Reconstruction of Polysaccharide Nanofibers Driven by Shear and Cavitation in High-Pressure Microfluidics.

Abstract

Natural nanofiber materials, such as cellulose, chitin, and silk, form a highly ordered hierarchical architecture through supramolecular self-assembly, in which repetitive structural units organize into stable higher-order structures via noncovalent interactions. Biologically directed assembly processes remain challenging to replicate artificially, primarily due to spontaneous, unregulated intramolecular, and intermolecular interactions that drive undirected colloidal aggregation and gelation. Herein, we developed a bottom-up approach for polysaccharide nanofiber assembly by the controlled modulation of molecular orientation and intermolecular interactions. To achieve the assembly, shear field orientation first disrupts the molecular disorder, followed by high-pressure-induced shock and cavitation, which collectively overcome the energy barriers of dynamically stable electrostatic interactions between polysaccharides. This sequential process enables the reorganization of carbohydrate polymers into structurally stable nanofibers. The biofilm prepared from the nanofiber demonstrates multiple merits, including exceptional mechanical strength, high optical transparency, and intrinsic antimicrobial/antimold properties, demonstrating superior efficacy in perishable fruit preservation. This scalable supramolecular assembly methodology not only advances our understanding of carbohydrate polymer organization but also establishes an adaptable platform for developing multifunctional advanced materials through nature-inspired nanotechnology.