Cellulose is basically constituted by repeating β (1,4)-bound D-glucopyranosyl units in the 4C1-chain configuration, in which every monomer unit is corkscrewed at 180° compared to its neighbors. Nanocellulose (NC) is the nano-structured cellulose which includes cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and bacterial nanocellulose (BC). Because of their attractive and excellent characteristics such as abundance, high aspect ratio, better mechanical properties, renewability, and biocompatibility, nanocelluloses have gained growing interests
Alfa Chemistry can offer nanocelluloses in a wide range of specifications. Click the links below to learn more.
Cellulose Nanocrystal
Cellulose Nanofiber
(by chemical method)
Cellulose Nanofiber
(by mechanical method)
Bacterial Nanocellulose
Modified Nanocelluloses
As the variety of the molecular orientations, van der Waals, intra- and intermolecular interactions, isolation and treatment method, cellulose can be found as different polymorphs which can be transformed from one to another by using thermal or chemical treatments. Nanocelluloses have Various sources such as wood, herbaceous plants, grass, agricultural crops and their byproducts, animal, algae and bacterial sources, waste-paper, among others, can be used as raw material to produce cellulose[1].
| Source group | Sources |
|---|---|
| Hardwood | Eucalyptus, Aspen, Balsa, Oak, Elm, Maple, Birch |
| Softwood | Pine, Juniper, Spruce, Hemlock, Yew, Larch, Cedar |
| Annual plants/Agricultural residues | Oil palm, Hemp, Jute, Agave, Sisal, triticale straw, soybean straw, Alfa, Kenaf, Coconut husk, Begasse, Corn leaf, Sunflower, Bamboo Canola, Wheat, Rice, pineapple leaf and coir, Peanut shells, Potato peel, Tomato peel, Garlic straw residues, Mulberry fiber, etc. |
| Animal | Tunicates, Chordata, Styela clava, Halocynthia roretzi Drasche |
| Bacteria | Gluconacetobacter, Salmonella, Acetobacter, Azotobacter, Agrobacterium, Rhizobium, Alkaligenes, Aerobacter, Sarcina, Pseudomonas, Rhodobacter |
| Algae | Cladophora, Cystoseria myrica, Posidonia oceanica |
Nanocellulose finds its applications in many areas. The key applications of them are listed as followings:
Nanocellulose can be used as a food packaging material in this growing sector of food and beverages to contain food in a cost-effective way, in the meantime, to satisfy industry and regulatory requirements and consumer expectations, to keep food products protected from the external environment.
Because the renewability, sustainability and unique properties of nanocellulose, its applications in cementitious materials is attracting more and more attention in recent years not only. Guo[2] reported that nanocellulose type, nanocellulose dosage, nanocellulose dispersion, and the matrix type can affect the properties of cementitious materials significantly.
Because of the tailorable surface modification, favorable optical transparency, good hydrophilicity, excellent biocompatibility, and outstanding mechanical properties, nanocellulose-based materials are of paramount value in the applications of biomedicine, and they can be used in biosensing, drug delivery, wound dressing, and tissue engineering.
Nanocellulose is one of the most abundant resources in nature. Membranes made of nanocellulose can be used as an emerging separation technology as its advantages in separation efficiency, low energy consumption, low cost, simple operation, and no secondary pollution.
Currently, there is a high demand for flexible, transparent, strong, sustainable and functional materials in energy and electronic devices. Nanocellulose can be combined with the conductive materials (such as metal particles, carbon materials, and conductive polymers) to fabricate conductive composites with high mechanical strength, stiffness, foldability and flexibility.
Alfa Chemistry is a professional supplier of nanocelluloses. For high quality products, professional technical service, use suggestion and latest industry news, please feel free to contact us.
References
Please kindly note that our products are for research use only.
