Nanocellulose from Agro-Residues and Forest Biomass for Pulp and Paper Product

Nanocellulose, a nanoform of cellulosic material, is a newer material showing interesting properties and has potential for diversified applications. Nanocellulose, having any one of the dimensions in the size range between 1 and 100 nm, is extracted from cellulosic biomass derived from plants, animals, or microbial origin. Cotton and other natural lignocellulosic fibers, agro-residues, forest biomass, and bacterial cellulose are important raw materials to produce nanocellulose. In the top-down approach of synthesis, the macroscale cellulosic particles are converted into nanocellulose by mechanical, chemical, or biological ways or their combinations. The extracted nanocellulose can be spherical or whisker-shaped nanocellulose (NCC) and nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC); but many other nomenclatures are also being used like cellulose nanofibres (CNF), nanocellulosic fibers (NCF), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC). Nanocellulose exhibits very large surface area to volume ratio, high level of crystallinity, liquid crystalline behavior, thixotropic behavior, and enhanced mechanical properties. Major areas of applications include furnish and coating additive in paper, filler in packaging and composites, non-calorific additives in food materials, thickening agents in paints and adhesives and as fillers and carriers in pharma products. Other areas of applications could be reached after surface chemical modification of nanocellulose. Pulp and paper industries are the first one where the nanocellulose is being used commercially for improving the strength, printability, and barrier properties of paper. Nanocellulose also helps to reduce the weight of the paper without compromising its strength and other quality parameters. This chapter covers the various aspects of nanocellulose production, characterization, and application in pulp and paper product.