Abstract
The improvement of membrane applications for wastewater treatment has been a focal point of research in recent times, with a wide variety of efforts being made to enhance the performance, integrity and environmental friendliness of the existing membrane materials. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are sustainable nanomaterials derived from microorganisms and plants with promising potential in wastewater treatment. Cellulose nanomaterials offer a satisfactory alternative to other environmentally harmful nanomaterials. However, only a few review articles on this important field are available in the open literature, especially in membrane applications for wastewater treatment. This review briefly highlights the circular economy of waste lignocellulosic biomass and the isolation of CNCs from waste lignocellulosic biomass for membrane applications. The surface chemical functionalization technique for the preparation of CNC-based materials with the desired functional groups and properties is outlined. Recent uses of CNC-based materials in membrane applications for wastewater treatment are presented. In addition, the assessment of the environmental impacts of CNCs, cellulose extraction, the production techniques of cellulose products, cellulose product utilization, and their end-of-life disposal are briefly discussed. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects for the development of CNC from waste biomass for application in wastewater treatment are discussed extensively. Finally, this review unraveled some important perceptions on the prospects of CNC-based materials, especially in membrane applications for the treatment of wastewater.
Highlights
The interdisciplinary, novel and high-value development of green separation techniques is required to address the sustainability challenges in existing membrane technology [1]
This study comprehensively reviews the membrane applications of cellulose nanocrystals derived from waste lignocellulosic biomass from the perspective of a circular economy for the treatment of wastewater to aid the trend of the lab-scale development of CNC-based membranes to an industrial scale with a good market value
This paper offers a viewpoint that cellulose nanocrystals can be a significant, enviThis paper offers a viewpoint that cellulose nanocrystals can be a significant, environmentally benign, and economically functional novel nanomaterial that is mainly apt ronmentally benign, and economically functional novel nanomaterial that is mainly apt for membrane applications in the treatment of water and wastewater
Summary
Such as cellulose nanofiber (CNF), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial cellulose (BC)—have attracted the attention of many researchers owing to their large specific surface area, improved mechanical strength, and enhanced crystallinity They agree with the trend in surface modification, resulting in high performance for numerous sustainable applications in nanotechnology [16–18]. Only a few comprehensive reviews in the field of nanocellulose-based membrane technology for the treatment of water and wastewater are presented in the literature [28–30] Against this background, this study comprehensively reviews the membrane applications of cellulose nanocrystals derived from waste lignocellulosic biomass from the perspective of a circular economy for the treatment of wastewater to aid the trend of the lab-scale development of CNC-based membranes to an industrial scale with a good market value.
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