Utilization of Cellulose to Its Full Potential: A Review on Cellulose Dissolution, Regeneration, and Applications

As the most abundant natural polymer, cellulose is a prime candidate for the preparation of both sustainable and economically viable polymeric products hitherto predominantly produced from oil-based synthetic polymers. However, the utilization of cellulose to its full potential is constrained by its...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymers 2021-12, Vol.13 (24), p.4344
Main Authors: Acharya, Sanjit, Liyanage, Sumedha, Parajuli, Prakash, Rumi, Shaida Sultana, Shamshina, Julia L, Abidi, Noureddine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerogels
Beads
Biomedical materials
Biopolymers
Cellulose
Cellulose fibers
Cotton
Dimethyl acetamide
Dissolution
Glucose
Hydrogels
Hydrogen
Hydrophobicity
Ionic liquids
Lithium chloride
Molecular weight
Natural polymers
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Optimization
Polymers
Regeneration
Review
Sodium hydroxide
Solvents
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Summary:As the most abundant natural polymer, cellulose is a prime candidate for the preparation of both sustainable and economically viable polymeric products hitherto predominantly produced from oil-based synthetic polymers. However, the utilization of cellulose to its full potential is constrained by its recalcitrance to chemical processing. Both fundamental and applied aspects of cellulose dissolution remain active areas of research and include mechanistic studies on solvent-cellulose interactions, the development of novel solvents and/or solvent systems, the optimization of dissolution conditions, and the preparation of various cellulose-based materials. In this review, we build on existing knowledge on cellulose dissolution, including the structural characteristics of the polymer that are important for dissolution (molecular weight, crystallinity, and effect of hydrophobic interactions), and evaluate widely used non-derivatizing solvents (sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-based systems, , -dimethylacetamide (DMAc)/lithium chloride (LiCl), -methylmorpholine- -oxide (NMMO), and ionic liquids). We also cover the subsequent regeneration of cellulose solutions from these solvents into various architectures (fibers, films, membranes, beads, aerogels, and hydrogels) and review uses of these materials in specific applications, such as biomedical, sorption, and energy uses.
ISSN:2073-4360
2073-4360
DOI:10.3390/polym13244344