Melt Processing of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Filled Composites: Toward Reinforcement and Foam Nucleation

Although the mass production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) shows the possibility of their use in scalable nanocomposite manufacturing, the low compatibility between the CNC–hydrophobic matrix and related environmentally unfriendly processing procedures have hindered the mass production of the CNC nanocomposites. This Review summarizes the recent progress in developing CNC composites via melt-processing with an emphasis on overcoming obstacles for industrialization. Several melt-process-related topics are discussed, such as the dispersal and thermal degradation of CNCs in hydrophobic matrices. Possible strategies to further improve the mechanical properties of the CNC composites and the potential use of CNC as a foaming agent in foam injection molding are also detailed.