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Crystalline Nanocellulose Properties and Applications

Cellulose is a linear biopolymer naturally found in plant cells like wood and cotton and is the main building block of trees and plants. It is considered the most abundant polymer in nature and possesses many unique characteristics such as good biocompatibility, low cost, low density, and exceptional mechanical properties.
Nanocellulose nanocrystals organization is structured of densely ordered crystalline particles engineered by nature in a way that makes it inherently strong. The cellulose fibers can be converted into cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) or cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) after mechanical or chemical treatments. They show outstanding characteristics when compared not only to the original cellulosic fiber but also to other materials typically used as reinforcements in composite materials e.g. “Kevlar” or steel wires.
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) possess some several notable chemical, electrical and optical properties:
  • ­The size, shape and charge of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) behave in a unique way in solutions.
  • ­Their high chemical reactivity of the surface allows various customizations for a wide range of applications.
  • ­Heat stability of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) also allows high temperature applications.
As a novel sustainable nanomaterial, crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) shows an increasing interest in application areas such as coatings, emulsions, paints, pharmaceutical formulations, and other aqueous composite systems where interactions with oppositely charged surfactants are commonly employed.
Some of many other applications of Crystalline Nanocellulose:
  • ­Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) is used in food industry.
  • ­Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) is used in medical and hygiene products.
  • ­Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) is used in cosmetics.
  • ­Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) is used in optical sensors.
  • ­Crystalline Nanocellulose (CNC) is used in packaging.

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