Production of cellulose nanofibrils: A review of recent advances

Published Date

Available online 19 February 2016, doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.02.016

In Press, Corrected Proof — Note to users

Title 

Production of cellulose nanofibrils: A review of recent advances

• Author 

• Oleksandr Nechyporchuk ^,
• Mohamed Naceur Belgacem 
• Julien Bras 

• Université Grenoble Alpes, Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Science and Graphic Arts (LGP2), CNRS, Agefpi, F-38000 Grenoble, France

Received 10 November 2015. Revised 1 February 2016. Accepted 6 February 2016. Available online 19 February 2016.

Highlights

• •
  Recent developments in production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were reviewed.
• •
  Mechanical disintegration processes and biological/chemical pretreatments were discussed.
• •
  Issues of CNF fractionation and quantification of the extent of fibrillation were addressed.
• •
  An overview of various CNF products, e.g., powders, films, hydrogels and aerogels was proposed.

Abstract

This review describes the recent advances in production of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), otherwise known as nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) or cellulose nanofibers, a material with significant barrier, mechanical and colloidal properties, low density, renewable and biodegradable character. The above properties make CNF promising for applications in such fields as papermaking, composites, packaging, coatings, biomedicine and automotive. In this review, CNF production methods are summarized, covering raw materials selection, structural and chemical aspects necessary for understanding the nanofibril extraction process, conventional and novel mechanical disintegration techniques, as well as biological and chemical pretreatments aimed at facilitating nanofibril isolation. The issues of fractionation, performed with the objective of retrieving the residual microscopic fiber fragments from CNF suspensions, are addressed. Additionally, the preparation of CNF in various forms, such as suspensions, water-redispersible powders, films or nanopapers, hydrogels and aerogels, is discussed.

Keywords

• Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF)
• Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC)
• Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC)
• Cellulose nanofibers
• Mechanical disintegration
• Enzymatic and chemical pretreatments

---

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

 Table 1

Table 1.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author. Present address: Division of Applied Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden.

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092666901630084X