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<p>Tunicate cellulose, which consists of nearly pure cellulose Iβ crystals with exceptionally high crystallinity, is the only known animal-derived cellulose. Owing to these properties, it has been extensively investigated to both advance fundamental understanding and facilitate their application in high-strength composite materials. Conventionally, the cross-sectional dimensions have been represented by an average of approximately 10&#xa0;nm. However, several studies indicate a more heterogeneous morphology, including thinner fibrils. In this study, the tunicate cellulose morphology was re-examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These analyses included cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), and intact microfibrils within the tunicate mantle. The TEM-derived widths and AFM-derived heights of the CNCs and CNFs averaged approximately 10&#xa0;nm, but revealed a slightly flattened morphology compared with previously proposed models. AFM images revealed that the representative cross-sectional geometry of the CNFs exhibits widths and thicknesses of 15.0 and 9.3&#xa0;nm, respectively, which is consistent with a flattened shape. Furthermore, fibrils thinner than 5&#xa0;nm were also detected. These thin fibrils were also present within the mantle and increased in number after ultrasonication of the CNFs, suggesting the delamination of individual fibrils during mechanical disintegration. This study highlights the inherent morphological heterogeneity of tunicate cellulose and its process-induced structural changes.</p>

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Cross-sectional dimensions of tunicate nanocelluloses: broad size distribution and their origins

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月30日

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  • Keita Mayumi,
  • Tomoki Ito,
  • Shingo Kiyoto,
  • Masahisa Wada,
  • Kayoko Kobayashi

摘要

Tunicate cellulose, which consists of nearly pure cellulose Iβ crystals with exceptionally high crystallinity, is the only known animal-derived cellulose. Owing to these properties, it has been extensively investigated to both advance fundamental understanding and facilitate their application in high-strength composite materials. Conventionally, the cross-sectional dimensions have been represented by an average of approximately 10 nm. However, several studies indicate a more heterogeneous morphology, including thinner fibrils. In this study, the tunicate cellulose morphology was re-examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These analyses included cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), and intact microfibrils within the tunicate mantle. The TEM-derived widths and AFM-derived heights of the CNCs and CNFs averaged approximately 10 nm, but revealed a slightly flattened morphology compared with previously proposed models. AFM images revealed that the representative cross-sectional geometry of the CNFs exhibits widths and thicknesses of 15.0 and 9.3 nm, respectively, which is consistent with a flattened shape. Furthermore, fibrils thinner than 5 nm were also detected. These thin fibrils were also present within the mantle and increased in number after ultrasonication of the CNFs, suggesting the delamination of individual fibrils during mechanical disintegration. This study highlights the inherent morphological heterogeneity of tunicate cellulose and its process-induced structural changes.