title: Recent progress in cellulose nanocrystals: sources and production.
abstract: Cellulose nanocrystals, a class of fascinating bio-based nanoscale materials, have received a tremendous amount of interest both in industry and academia owing to its unique structural features and impressive physicochemical properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, renewability, low density, adaptable surface chemistry, optical transparency, and improved mechanical properties. This nanomaterial is a promising candidate for applications in fields such as biomedical, pharmaceuticals, electronics, barrier films, nanocomposites, membranes, supercapacitors, etc. New resources, new extraction procedures, and new treatments are currently under development to satisfy the increasing demand of manufacturing new types of cellulose nanocrystals-based materials on an industrial scale. Therefore, this review addresses the recent progress in the production methodologies of cellulose nanocrystals, covering principal cellulose resources and the main processes used for its isolation. A critical and analytical examination of the shortcomings of various approaches employed so far is made. Additionally, structural organization of cellulose and nomenclature of cellulose nanomaterials have also been discussed for beginners in this field.
authors.affiliation: UER Chimie Appliquée, Ecole Militaire Polytechnique, BP 17, Bordj El-Bahri, Algiers, Algeria. djalaltrache@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Djalal
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3004-9855
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trache
authors.affiliation: Lignocellulosic Research Group, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M Hazwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hussin
authors.affiliation: School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M K Mohamad
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Haafiz
authors.affiliation: Enhanced Composites and Structures Center, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK. Vijay.Kumar@cranfield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Vijay Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Thakur