Harnessing Nature’s Ingenuity: A Comprehensive Exploration of Nanocellulose from Production to Cutting-Edge Applications in Engineering and Sciences

Abstract

Primary material supply is the heart of engineering and sciences. The depletion of natural resources and an increase in the human population by a billion in 13 to 15 years pose a critical concern regarding the sustainability of these materials; therefore, functionalizing renewable materials, such as nanocellulose, by possibly exploiting their properties for various practical applications, has been undertaken worldwide. Nanocellulose has emerged as a dominant green natural material with attractive and tailorable physicochemical properties, is renewable and sustainable, and shows biocompatibility and tunable surface properties. Nanocellulose is derived from cellulose, the most abundant polymer in nature with the remarkable properties of nanomaterials. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the methods used for nanocellulose preparation, structure–property and structure–property correlations, and the application of nanocellulose and its nanocomposite materials. This article differentiates the classification of nanocellulose, provides a brief account of the production methods that have been developed for isolating nanocellulose, highlights a range of unique properties of nanocellulose that have been extracted from different kinds of experiments and studies, and elaborates on nanocellulose potential applications in various areas. The present review is anticipated to provide the readers with the progress and knowledge related to nanocellulose. Pushing the boundaries of nanocellulose further into cutting-edge applications will be of particular interest in the future, especially as cost-effective commercial sources of nanocellulose continue to emerge.

Enhanced Osmotic Energy Conversion with Ultrahigh Ionic Conductivity in Sodium Polystyrenesulfonate/Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Membranes

“…Furthermore, cellulose, a widely available natural material found in plants and bacteria, can be processed into nanosized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) via physical or chemical treatments. 34,35 CNFs can be easily assembled into nanofluidic devices by several methods. 36 To date, many researches have reported the potential of cellulose-based nanofluids for multiple applications in membrane separation, functional sensors, and energy harvesting and conversion.…”

“…Furthermore, cellulose, a widely available natural material found in plants and bacteria, can be processed into nanosized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) via physical or chemical treatments. , CNFs can be easily assembled into nanofluidic devices by several methods . To date, many researches have reported the potential of cellulose-based nanofluids for multiple applications in membrane separation, functional sensors, and energy harvesting and conversion. − CNFs particularly those produced via TEMPO-mediated oxidation exhibit high negative charge densities, which is essential for efficient ion transport nanofluidic channel membranes. , Remarkably, benefiting from their high aspect ratio, CNFs demonstrate exceptional mechanical properties, making them a valuable addition to nanofluidic channel membranes …”

Techno-Economic Considerations on Nanocellulose’s Future Progress: A Short Review

“…In principle, NC-based materials have the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, from packaging and textiles to biomedical engineering and electronics [7]. The Processes 2023, 11, 2312 2 of 17 raw materials used to produce NC are diverse and depend on factors such as availability, cost, and environmental impact [8]. The most commonly used raw materials for the production of nanocellulose include pulp obtained from wood chips by a chemical pulping process, agricultural residues such as corn husks, wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse, forestry residues, energy crops, bacterial cellulose, algae, cotton, etc.…”

“…Finally, Nippon Paper Industries from Japan and Innventia AB from Sweden produce NC from wood pulp. These are just a few examples of companies active in the NC industry [6][7][8][9][10][21][22][23][24]. As the demand for sustainable materials continues to grow, it is likely that more companies will enter the market and existing companies will expand their NC-based product offerings.…”