Chapter 5 - Biological and chemical impact of nanocellulose: current understanding

Abstract

Several forms of nanocellulose, notably cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrillated cellulose, exhibit attractive property matrices and are potentially useful for a large number of industrial applications. This chapter provides an overview of synthetic techniques used to prepare colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of controlled composition, size, shape, and internal structure and the methods for manipulating these materials into ordered NC assemblies (superlattices). Researchers have studied these particles intensely and have developed them for broad applications in the cardboard industry, for use as reinforcing fillers in polymer composites, for low-density foams, as additives in adhesives and paints, as well as for a wide variety of food, hygiene, cosmetic, and medical products. Each NC consists of a crystalline inorganic core coordinated by an organic monolayer. These monodisperse NC samples enable systematic studies of structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of materials as a function of size evolution from molecular species (<100 atoms) to bulk solids (>100,000 atoms). The commercial exploitation of nanocellulose has commenced. This chapter provides a comprehensive and critical review of the state of knowledge of nanocellulose in this format.