Importance of Agricultural and Industrial Waste in the Field of Nanocellulose and Recent Industrial Developments of Wood Based Nanocellulose: A Review

Abstract

Nano-sized cellulose materials has recently become topical in the sphere of sustainable materials. The two key groups of nanocelluloses (NCs) are (1) nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and (2) cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). They are often considered as second-generation renewable resources, which also serve as better replacements for petroleum-based products. More attention has been given to these materials because of their low density and high mechanical, renewable, and biodegradable properties. There are many works in the literature on the isolation of NFC and CNC from different sources like hard/soft wood and agriculture biomass. However, this is a comprehensive review dedicated to the properties of NFC and CNC extracted only from agriculture and industrial waste using mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. This article explores in detail the importance of agriculture waste and pretreatments, methods involved in the production of nanocellulose, and the properties of NC prepared from crop and industrial wastes. The potential applications of nanocellulose from different sources are discussed. The current extensive industrial activities in the production of nanocellulose are presented. This review will likely draw the attention of researchers toward crop and industrial wastes as a new source in the realm of nanocellulose.