Chapter 11 - Physicochemical and morphological properties of microcrystalline cellulose and nanocellulose extracted from coir fibers and its composites

Abstract

Nanomaterials are receiving tremendous attentions for their well-known nano effects like as interface, surface, macroscopic quantum tunnel, and smaller sizes. Typically, organic nanomaterials derived from natural sources, both nanocellulose and microcrystalline celluloses, are becoming potential functional material for their unique characteristics like as higher strength, hardness, lighter weight, environment-friendliness, and so on. Coir fiber reinforced composites are used for diversified structural applications, building and construction, and insulation materials having tremendous potentiality. However, the extracted nanocellulose and microcrystalline cellulose could facilitate with the development of green products as well which will make the world safer with green composites. The use of nanocellulose and microcrystalline cellulose extracted from coir fibers are showing potentiality toward producing composites as due to significant filler to matrix interactions, hence resulting superior performances in the composites. The extraction of nanocellulose and microcrystalline cellulose using different advanced technologies along with the associated composites production and associated products would be discussed further in this chapter.