Emerging Applications of Cellulose Nanofibers

Abstract

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth. In addition, it is renewable, biodegradable, and relatively cheap. Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have been produced most commonly from plants, algae, and bacteria. They can be isolated, e.g., from wood-derived fibers that have been microrefined to microlevel and even to nanolevel. In this chapter, we comprehensively review the unique properties and emerging applications of CNFs. We anticipate that CNFs as a new environmentally friendly material will be widely used in many areas such as reinforcement of polymers, energy production and energy storage, environmental protection and improvement, and healthcare. Therefore, there is a necessary to do more research on the potential emerging applications of CNFs.