Chapter 6: Crucial Interfacial Features of Nanocellulose Materials

This chapter addresses the behaviour and performance of cellulosic nanomaterials and how these are attributed to the interfacial features of this particular bionanomaterial. Cellulosic nanomaterials can be roughly categorised with respect to their size and overall dimensions as well as with respect to the surface charge and chemical 88composition (Figure 6.1). These features mainly define the structure–function interdependencies and structure–property relationships of the different nanocellulose grades, and they can be considered as the most relevant characteristics to be quantified in order to achieve the full performance in a desired application area. In fact, in order to significantly improve and develop functional nanomaterial structures using lignocellulose-derived building blocks, the understanding of the interfacial interactions becomes highly relevant. In addition, the reader is referred to several thorough review papers [1–3] and a recent text book [4] in which different nanocellulose grades, their manufacturing, characteristic features and exploitation in various applications are comprehensively treated.