Cellulose and protein nanofibrils: Singular biobased nanostructures for the design of sustainable advanced materials

Abstract

Polysaccharides and proteins are extensively used for the design of advanced sustainable materials. Owing to the high aspect ratio and specific surface area, ease of modification, high mechanical strength and thermal stability, renewability, and biodegradability, biopolymeric nanofibrils are gaining growing popularity amongst the catalog of nanostructures exploited in a panoply of fields. These include the nanocomposites, paper and packaging, environmental remediation, electronics, energy, and biomedical applications. In this review, recent trends on the use of cellulose and protein nanofibrils as versatile substrates for the design of high-performance nanomaterials are assessed. A concise description of the preparation methodologies and characteristics of cellulosic nanofibrils, namely nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), and protein nanofibrils is presented. Furthermore, the use of these nanofibrils in the production of sustainable materials, such as membranes, films, and patches, amongst others, as well as their major domains of application, are briefly described, with focus on the works carried out at the BioPol4Fun Research Group (Innovation in BioPolymer based Functional Materials and Bioactive Compounds) from the Portuguese associate laboratory CICECO–Aveiro Institute of Materials (University of Aveiro). The potential for partnership between both types of nanofibrils in advanced material development is also reviewed. Finally, the critical challenges and opportunities for these biobased nanostructures for the development of functional materials are addressed.

Functional fibers from regenerated wood pulp cellulose and a natural‐based phytate with enhanced flame retardancy properties

“…Cellulose-the most abundant natural polymer 1,2 -is an inexhaustible resource for the development of environmentally conscious and sustainable materials for multiple fields of application covering electronics, energy, environment, medicine, among other areas. [3][4][5][6][7][8] In the domain of textile fibers, 8 wood-based cellulose fibers can be an effective alternative to synthetic fibers, produced from petroleum-based polymers (e.g., polyester, polyamide, and polyacrylic fibers) that are a huge source of microplastics and contribute to global warming [9][10][11] ; but also to natural cotton fibers whose cultivation requires massive amounts of arable land, irrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides, and a production process that involves high water consumption and creates large volumes of by-products, thus raising its negative environmental impact. 10,12 Man-made wood-based cellulose fibers, such as viscose and lyocell, are two examples of commercially available textile fibers 8,13 ; however, their fabrication processes make use of environmentally harmful chemicals, namely the toxic carbon disulfide and the explosive Nmethylmorpholine N-oxide, respectively.…”