Thermally Responsive Methylcellulose-based Gels and High Internal Phase Pickering Emulsion as Pesticide and Fertilizer Delivery Carriers for Forestry Management

Abstract

Methylcellulose (MC), as a simple cellulose derivative has unique merits, involving water solubility and inherent temperature-induced phase transitions, which have potential in sustainable pesticide delivery applications. Despite the discovery of MC’s thermally responsive property in 1935, it attracted attention just a few years ago, owing to increasing demands for sustainable materials. However, the phase transition temperature of MC thermogel is relatively high, and factors on tuning its low critical solution temperature are also not clearly elucidated, which restricts its gelation and Pickering emulsion delivery material developments. This editorial discusses solutions in terms of tunable thermally induced phase transitions of MC, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, carboxyl methylcellulose, and their thermogels and high internal phase Pickering emulsions as potential pesticide- and fertilizer-delivery carrier materials to enrich diverse forestry management practices and contribute to sustainable agricultural ecosystems and unmanned aerial vehicles-based low-altitude economy.