Nanocelluloses application

Because of the extraordinary supramolecular structure and exceptional product characteristics as high-molecular and high-crystalline cellulosics with a water content up to 99%, nanocelluloses require increasing attention. This review assembles the current knowledge in research, development, and application in the field of nanocelluloses through examples. The topics combine selected results on nanocelluloses from bacteria and wood as well as their use as technical membranes and composites with the first longtime study of cellulosics in the animal body for the development of medical devices such as artificial blood vessels, and the application of bacterial nanocellulose as animal wound dressings and cosmetic tissues. 

It should also be mentioned that the application of wood nanocellulose prepared by the described techniques - where the cell wall is further disintegrated by mechanical treatment - leads to lower-strength cellulose fiber-reinforced composites than in the corresponding BC materials [34]. 

Membranes and composites from cellulose and cellulose esters are important domains in the development and application of these polymer materials. The most important segment by volume in the chemical processing of cellulose contains regenerated cellulose fibers, films, and membranes, hi the case of the cellulose esters mainly cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate as well as novel high-performance materials created therefrom are widely used as laminates, composites, optical/photographic films and membranes, or other separation media, as reviewed in [1], The previously specified nanocelluloses from bacteria and wood tie in with these important potentials and open novel fields of application. 

One recent example of the formation and application of foils/membranes of unmodified bacterial nanocellulose is described by George and coworkers [35]. The processed membrane seems to be of great relevance as a packaging material in the food industry, where continuous moisture removal and minimal-oxygen-transmission properties play a vital role. The purity, controllable water capacity, good mechanical stability, and gas-barrier... 

In the previous sections, the application potential and the use of nanocelluloses as technical materials as devices in human and veterinary medicine as well as cosmetics have been described. Because of the exceptional properties of these innovative polymers more widespread utilization has been observed in recent years. In this section some additional and quite different examples will be reported. Further information can bee found in Table 7. 

Nanocelluloses as Innovative Polymers in Research and Application D. Klemm D. Schumann F. Kramer N. Hefiler M. Hornung ... 

Paul, G., and Dieter, K. (2010). Bacterial nanocellulose as a renewable material for biomedical applications, MRS Bull., 208-213. 

Nanocellulose, such as that produced by the bacteria Gluconacetobacter xylinus (bacterial cellulose, BC), is an emerging biomaterial with great potential in several applications. The performance of bacterial cellulose stems from its high purity, ultra-fine network structure and high mechanical properties in the dry state [114]. These features allow its applications in scaffold for tissue regeneration, medical applications and nanocomposites. A few researchers have used bacterial cellulose mats to reinforce polymeric matrices and scaffolds with wound healing properties [115-121]. BC is pure cellulose made by bacterial fabrication via biochemical... 

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