Formation of cellulose-based electrostatic layer-by-layer films in a magnetic field

Cellulose has been shown to demonstrate negative diamagnetic anisotropy, and cellulose nanocrystals dispersed in water form a stable chiral nematic liquid crystal phase above a critical concentration. We review some consequences of these two observations when the chiral nematic phase is placed in a magnetic field. Of interest was the possibility of making a layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte film, where the cellulose nanocrystal component was …