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Review
Cellulose: Fascinating Biopolymer and Sustainable Raw Material
Article first published online: 28 APR 2005
DOI: 10.1002/anie.200460587
Copyright © 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Additional Information
How to Cite
Klemm, D., Heublein, B., Fink, H.-P. and Bohn, A. (2005), Cellulose: Fascinating Biopolymer and Sustainable Raw Material. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 44: 3358–3393. doi: 10.1002/anie.200460587
Publication History
- Issue published online: 24 MAY 2005
- Article first published online: 28 APR 2005
- Manuscript Received: 7 MAY 2004
- Abstract
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- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- cellulose chemistry;
- polymer materials;
- polysaccharides;
- supramolecular chemistry;
- sustainable raw materials
Graphical Abstract
The trend toward renewable resources has led to a global renaissance of cellulose research over the past ten years. This review describes the highlights of the progress made in this area, which has provided a better understanding of the structure of cellulose derivatives, the tailoring of cellulose products, alternative production processes for cellulose regenerates, and new pathways for the formation of supramolecular architectures.
Abstract
As the most important skeletal component in plants, the polysaccharide cellulose is an almost inexhaustible polymeric raw material with fascinating structure and properties. Formed by the repeated connection of D-glucose building blocks, the highly functionalized, linear stiff-chain homopolymer is characterized by its hydrophilicity, chirality, biodegradability, broad chemical modifying capacity, and its formation of versatile semicrystalline fiber morphologies. In view of the considerable increase in interdisciplinary cellulose research and product development over the past decade worldwide, this paper assembles the current knowledge in the structure and chemistry of cellulose, and in the development of innovative cellulose esters and ethers for coatings, films, membranes, building materials, drilling techniques, pharmaceuticals, and foodstuffs. New frontiers, including environmentally friendly cellulose fiber technologies, bacterial cellulose biomaterials, and in-vitro syntheses of cellulose are highlighted together with future aims, strategies, and perspectives of cellulose research and its applications.