*2.1. Materials and Reagents*

Spray-dried sulfated CNCs (prepared by sulfuric acid mediated hydrolysis of hardwood pulp) was kindly supplied by InnoTech Alberta Inc (Edmonton, AB, Canada). The spray-dried CNC powder was stored at 4 ◦C and used as obtained. Triethylamine (TEA), 4-dimethyl-aminopyridine (DMAP), 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide, *N*,*N*,*N* ,*N*",*N*"-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA), copper (I) bromide, [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (METAC) (75 wt% in H2O), 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEM), 2,2 -bipyridyl (bpy), methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, and potassium bromide (KBr) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St Louis, MO, USA).
