A Basic Overview of Cellulose Nanocrystals

This paper discusses the various aspects of cellulose nanocrystals, including its extraction, mechanical properties, surface modifications, and medical applications. Cellulose nanocrystals are extracted from cellulose, one of the most common polymers in nature. Cellulose nanocrystals are unique as they can be extracted from organic material making them widely abundant and renewable but they also possess incredible mechanical properties. Cellulose nanocrystals’ theoretical tensile strength could be around 10 GPa and its theoretical elastic modulus could be 120+ GPa. In addition to its already desirable mechanical properties the crystals can still be further modified to bestow them with specific characteristics such as oxidation to increase thermal stability. The crystals' combination of being organic, compatible with modifications, alongside its mechanical properties makes it a material of interest in a multitude of fields. One of the fields that cellulose nanocrystals can shine in is the biomedical field, where they can act as materials for biosensors, tissue reparation scaffolding, or drug delivery systems.