Navigating the nano-world future: Harnessing cellulose nanocrystals from green sources for sustainable innovation

Felix Sahayaraj Arockiasamy; Bharathi Manoharan; Vivek Mariappan Santhi; K Prakalathan; Diwahar Periasamy; Aravind Dhandapani; Varagunapandiyan Natarajan; Senthilkumar Krishnasamy; Senthil Muthu Kumar Thiagamani; R A Ilyas

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41188

Navigating the nano-world future: Harnessing cellulose nanocrystals from green sources for sustainable innovation

Heliyon. 2024 Dec 17;11(1):e41188. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41188. eCollection 2025 Jan 15.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, KIT-Kalaignarkarunanidhi Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641402, India.
² Department of Aeronautical Engineering, KIT-Kalaignarkarunanidhi Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641402, India.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁴ Department of Plastic Technology, Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology, Chennai, 600 032, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁵ University Science Instrumentation Centre, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, 625021, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁶ Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61411, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Mechanical Engineering, PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research, Coimbatore, 641 062, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁸ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁹ Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM) Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.
¹⁰ Department of Mechanical Engineering, INTI International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN, Putra Nilai, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
¹¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, 81310, Malaysia.

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are a class of materials that have received significant attention in recent years due to their unique properties and potential applications. CNCs are extracted from plant fibers and possess high strength, stiffness, and biocompatibility, making them attractive materials for use in various fields such as biomedical engineering, renewable energy, and nanotechnology. This provides an in-depth discussion of the extraction, characterization, and promising applications of CNCs. Furthermore, it discusses the sources of CNCs and the methods used for their extraction as well as the common techniques used to characterize their properties. This work also highlights various applications of CNCs and their advantages over other materials. The challenges associated with the use of CNCs and the current research efforts to address these challenges were analyzed. In addition, the potential future directions and applications for CNCs were discussed. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of CNCs and their potential as versatile and sustainable materials.

Keywords: Biocompatibility; Cellulose nanocrystals; Characterization; Extraction; Nanotechnology; Renewable energy.

Publication types

Review