Cellulose: a study of drying method selection based on the structure and property changes

Cellulose: a study of drying method selection based on the structure and property changes | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Cellulose: a study of drying method selection based on the structure and property changes Qing Wang, Zhenfei Han, Zhixiao Mao, Xue Wan, Jinxiang Hua, Yongmei Zeng, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7716776/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The structural and mechanical properties of cellulose and its derivatives are critically influenced by the drying method employed. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of six drying methods—TBA freeze-drying (T), supercritical CO₂-drying (S), freeze-drying (F), vacuum-drying (V), oven-drying (O), and microwave-drying (M) for processing bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogels. Multimodal characterization revealed that cold-assisted methods (T, S, F) effectively preserved the nanofibrillar network, porosity, and polymerization degree (DP) of BC. TBA freeze-drying yielded aerogels with the highest specific surface area (79.31 m²/g) and most uniform pore structure, while freeze-drying minimized DP degradation. In contrast, thermal-assisted methods (V, O, M) induced structural collapse, pore reduction, and severe cellulose chain scission, particularly under microwave drying. Regenerated cellulose fibers (RCFs) produced from TBA freeze-dried and freeze-dried BC exhibited superior mechanical performance. This work underscores the profound impact of drying protocols on BC’s properties and offers practical guidance for selecting appropriate drying strategies based on application-specific requirements. Tertiary butyl alcohol Supercritical carbon dioxide Oven Vacuum drying Freezing drying Microwave drying Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupportingInforemation.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Nov, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 10 Nov, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 06 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 25 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7716776","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":542934899,"identity":"4c417003-7300-49df-9948-3037e617d44c","order_by":0,"name":"Qing Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sichuan Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Qing","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":542934903,"identity":"642d4d80-80cd-4ced-a0ef-53f8d75aed84","order_by":1,"name":"Zhenfei Han","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Sichuan Agricultural 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