Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 December 2015
Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) solid films obtained from evaporated aqueousheterogeneous mixtures retain the self-assembled chiral nematic order formed inthe suspension. These semi-translucent films are iridescent and reflect ortransmit circularly polarized visible light (400-700nm) due to the chiralproperties of the self-assembled nanostructure. This effect occurs at differentwavelengths depending on the pitch of the helical structure. In this paper, NCCfilms have been fabricated from different recipes to produce various helixpitches. The corresponding red-shift in the optical wavelength has been obtainedby means of Spectrophotometry measurements. Preliminary experiments have beenperformed to investigate optical polarization effects as function of angles ofincidence using ellipsometry. Finally, laser micromachining results on NCC filmsmay suggest feasibility for integration as tunable light polarizercomponents.