Nanocellulose in polymer composites and biomedical applications

Nanocellulose materials are nano-sized cellulose fibrils or crystals produced by bacteria or derived from plants. These materials exhibit exceptional strength characteristics, light weight, transparency, and excellent biocompatibility. Compared with some other nanomaterials, nanocellulose is renewable and less expensive to produce, and a wide range of applications for nanocellulose has been envisioned. The areas most extensively studied include polymer composites and biomedical applications. Cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals have been used to reinforce both thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Given the hydrophilic nature of these materials, the interfacial properties with most polymers are often poor; thus, various surface modification procedures have been adopted to improve the interaction between polymer matrix and cellulose nanofibrils or nanocrystals. The applications of nanocellulose as a biomaterial also have been explored, including wound dressing, tissue repair, and medical implants. Nanocellulose materials for wound healing and periodontal tissue recovery have become commercially available, demonstrating the great potential of nanocellulose as a new generation of biomaterials.