From Cellulose to Nanocellulose: Functionalization Strategies and Applications in Biomedicine, Ecology, and Energy
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, M.Kh. Dulaty Taraz University, Taraz 080000, Kazakhstan
- 2Department of Science and Humanities, Providence College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram 689122, Kerala, India
- 3Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University, Petropavlovsk 150000, Kazakhstan
- 4Department of Natural Sciences, Yessenov University, Aktau 130000, Kazakhstan
- 5Higher School of Natural Sciences, Margulan University, Pavlodar 140000, Kazakhstan
- 6Department of Chemistry, S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, Ust-Kamenogorsk 070010, Kazakhstan
- 7Department of Chemistry, Christian College Chengannur, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 689122, Kerala, India
- 8Department of General Chemistry, Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa 450000, Russia
- 9Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Almaty Technological University, Almaty 050002, Kazakhstan
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable and high-performance materials has positioned cellulose as a key biopolymer for next-generation functional systems. Beyond its traditional use, cellulose undergoes a qualitative transformation at the nanoscale, where increased surface area, interfacial dominance, and tunable chemistry enable functions unattainable in bulk form. This review provides a critical and integrative analysis of functionalization strategies governing the transition from structural modification to application-specific performance in cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials. A unified structure-property-function-process (SPFP) framework is introduced to systematically connect modification approaches with resulting structural features, physicochemical properties, and functional outcomes. Chemical, physical, and surface/interface modification strategies are comparatively evaluated with respect to their efficiency, scalability, and environmental trade-offs. Rather than cataloguing methods, the review emphasizes cross-domain synthesis and identifies key limitations, including high energy demand, reagent consumption, structural instability, and challenges in large-scale implementation. Particular attention is given to applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, and energy technologies, where performance is governed by surface reactivity, accessibility, and hierarchical organization. The analysis highlights that no single modification strategy is universally optimal, and that effective material design requires balancing performance, sustainability, and process feasibility. By integrating conceptual frameworks, comparative analysis, and emerging design principles, this review provides a forward-looking perspective on the development of cellulose-based functional materials, supporting their transition from laboratory-scale demonstrations to application-ready technologies.
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BibTeX
@article{darmenbayeva2026from,
title = {{From Cellulose to Nanocellulose: Functionalization Strategies and Applications in Biomedicine, Ecology, and Energy}},
author = {A.S. Darmenbayeva and Reshmy Rajasekharan and Bakytgul Kabykenovna Massalimova and Murshida Aimova and Nurbala Ubaidulayeva and Gulzhan Abylkassova and Shynar Sanyazova and Rekha Unni and Dinislam Khuzin and Курманалиев Мусрепбек Курманалиевич and Zhazira Mukazhanova},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.3390/polym18111300},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18111300},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - From Cellulose to Nanocellulose: Functionalization Strategies and Applications in Biomedicine, Ecology, and Energy
AU - A.S. Darmenbayeva
AU - Reshmy Rajasekharan
AU - Bakytgul Kabykenovna Massalimova
AU - Murshida Aimova
AU - Nurbala Ubaidulayeva
AU - Gulzhan Abylkassova
AU - Shynar Sanyazova
AU - Rekha Unni
AU - Dinislam Khuzin
AU - Курманалиев Мусрепбек Курманалиевич
AU - Zhazira Mukazhanova
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/25
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18111300
UR - https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18111300
AB - The growing demand for sustainable and high-performance materials has positioned cellulose as a key biopolymer for next-generation functional systems. Beyond its traditional use, cellulose undergoes a qualitative transformation at the nanoscale, where increased surface area, interfacial dominance, and tunable chemistry enable functions unattainable in bulk form. This review provides a critical and integrative analysis of functionalization strategies governing the transition from structural modification to application-specific performance in cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials. A unified structure-property-function-process (SPFP) framework is introduced to systematically connect modification approaches with resulting structural features, physicochemical properties, and functional outcomes. Chemical, physical, and surface/interface modification strategies are comparatively evaluated with respect to their efficiency, scalability, and environmental trade-offs. Rather than cataloguing methods, the review emphasizes cross-domain synthesis and identifies key limitations, including high energy demand, reagent consumption, structural instability, and challenges in large-scale implementation. Particular attention is given to applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, and energy technologies, where performance is governed by surface reactivity, accessibility, and hierarchical organization. The analysis highlights that no single modification strategy is universally optimal, and that effective material design requires balancing performance, sustainability, and process feasibility. By integrating conceptual frameworks, comparative analysis, and emerging design principles, this review provides a forward-looking perspective on the development of cellulose-based functional materials, supporting their transition from laboratory-scale demonstrations to application-ready technologies.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -