Nanocellulose-Reinforced Composites: Challenges and Opportunities

Dear Colleagues,

Since 1985, when Turbak and Snyder developed for the first time the precursor of nanocellulose, its production has increased significantly, moving from the laboratory scale to the pilot/industrial scale. In fact, in 2010, the global production of nanocellulose accounted for 17 tons per year and, five years later, in 2015, it had increased to 400 tons. In addition, it is expected that in 2025, the global production of nanocellulose will account for 10,500 tons per year.

The figures above reveal the relevance that nanocellulose will have in the 21st century. In addition, there is the need of combining them with bio-based and biodegradable plastics, aiming at facing the waste generation. Nanocellulose, due to its interesting properties, has potential applications in several fields, including electronics, biomedicine, packaging, and the environment, among others. However, there is still a lack of knowledge around incorporating such nanostructured cellulose into thermoplastic matrices, mainly due to the bad dispersion thereof, the presence of water, and the poor interphase between polymer and reinforcement.

This Special Issue aims at covering nanocellulose-reinforced composites from the development stage to the final application. In this sense, manuscripts dealing with dispersion strategies, the matrix–reinforcement interphase, processing strategies, degradation studies, and potential applications are welcome. Some non-exclusive examples of interest of this Special Issue include applications such as active and intelligent packaging, printed electronics, biomedical devices, additive manufacturing, aerogels, and hydrogels. As a matrix, bio-based and biodegradable polymers are of special interest for this Special Issue.

Dr. Marc Delgado-Aguilar
Dr. Quim Tarrés
Guest Editors

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