Towards sustainable production and utilization of plant-biomass-based nanomaterials: a review and analysis of recent developments

Abstract

Plant-biomass-based nanomaterials have attracted great interest recently for their potential to replace petroleum-sourced polymeric materials for sustained economic development. However, challenges associated with sustainable production of lignocellulosic nanoscale polymeric materials (NPMs) need to be addressed. Producing materials from lignocellulosic biomass is a value-added proposition compared with fuel-centric approach. This report focuses on recent progress made in understanding NPMs—specifically lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) and cellulosic nanomaterials (CNMs)—and their sustainable production. Special attention is focused on understanding key issues in nano-level deconstruction of cell walls and utilization of key properties of the resultant NPMs to allow flexibility in production to promote sustainability. Specifically, suitable processes for producing LNPs and their potential for scaled-up production, along with the resultant LNP properties and prospective applications, are discussed. In the case of CNMs, terminologies such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) used in the literature are examined. The term cellulose nano-whiskers (CNWs) is used here to describe a class of CNMs that has a morphology similar to CNCs but without specifying its crystallinity, because most applications of CNCs do not need its crystalline characteristic. Additionally, progress in enzymatic processing and drying of NPMs is also summarized. Finally, the report provides some perspective of future research that is likely to result in commercialization of plant-based NPMs.

Renewable Energy: Sources, Integration and Application: Review Article

“…When fossil fuels became the primary energy source in the United States in the early 1900s, renewable energy sources began to be phased out. As an energy source, biomass is still used for house heating in rural areas and supplements urban areas [13]. A big part of the reason why biomass and other renewable energy sources began to grow in popularity in the mid-1980s was due to incentives to make use of them, particularly in the production of electricity.…”

“…During their burning, a little amount of greenhouse gases is released. Compressed natural gas is used as a fuel source instead of gasoline (CNG) to convert gasoline-powered cars to bi-fuel vehicles [13].…”

“…Heated starch is transformed into sugar during alcohol fermentation. Once the sugar has been fermented, it is distilled to produce ethanol, mixed with another fuel [13]. Biomass, notably municipal solid waste and market waste, is converted through aerobic digestion.…”

Multiscale Mechanical Performance of Wood: From Nano- to Macro-Scale across Structure Hierarchy and Size Effects

“…Interest in wood and other cellulose-containing materials, composites in particular, had considerably increased by the beginning of the 21st century. The studies of wood nano- and micro-structures have especially intensified in the last decade ( Figure 1 ) [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Several reasons can be named.…”

“…Cellulose is the most common natural linear polymer polysaccharide (C 6 H 10 O 5 ) n in the biosphere. The materials formed on its basis provide vast advantages: Unlike the majority of extracted mineral resources, cellulose-containing materials have sustainable and renewable sources, namely forests, field crops, and aqua cultures [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]; These materials are multifunctional; they can be used in construction and industrial manufacturing [ 5 , 8 ], for producing cardboard, paper, packaging [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], and textile goods [ 13 , 14 ], in electronics [ 15 ], photonics [ 16 ], and energetics [ 17 , 18 ], in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment [ 5 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], medicine [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ], military [ 28 ] and household applications, and in many other spheres [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 29 ]; Wood, cellulose-containing plant materials, and bio-composites are gaining more and more popularity each year. Among their most attractive features we should name their environmental friendliness, biodegradability, after-service “self-destruction” that leaves no toxic products [ 1 , 2 , …”