Nanocellulose Market- A Brief History
The production of fine chemicals and useful materials from natural resources is of considerable public interest, due to growing worldwide environmental factors contributing to the use of petroleum-derived substances and products. This research field has drawn the attention of a vast number of scholars and businesses as such resources prove out to be an answer to the ever-depleting non – renewable energy resources, contamination of the atmosphere, increasing global warming crisis. In this background, it has been discovered that cellulose, starch, alginate, chitin, chitosan, and gelatin are promising candidates regarding their wide availability from different sources. Cellulose, among them, seems to be the most abundant and renewable material derived from the ecosystem and can be discovered in plants, algae, tunicates, and certain bacteria. Seen as an inexhaustive supply of raw materials, this intriguing polymer can be altered and synthesized with several possible industrial applications and there is still plenty to learn and appreciate in cellulose.
For its unique characteristics, durability, and availability, there has been a significant growth in nanocellulose market. Growth of nanocellulose is credited to be among the most popular green materials of recent times. Nanocellulose can be derived using extraction techniques which are relatively basic, versatile, and effective. Mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic methods are used to remove nanocellulose from synthetic resources, or a mixture of all these. The characteristics of nanocellulose depend on the composition, the construction method, and possible subsequent transitions of the ground surface. Usually, nanocellulose surface alteration methods are used to add activated or hydrophobic substituents, including amidation, esterification, etherification, sialylation, polycondensation, urethanisation, sulfonation, and phosphorylation. Nanocellulose has outstanding strength, high Young’s modulus, bioactivity, and flexible self-assembly, thixotropic, and photonic qualities, that are important for the material’s implementations and that gives boost to the market growth.
Nanocellulose Market Application
Nanocellulose is used in the manufacturing of a broad variety of nanomaterials and nanocomposites, including polymers, plastics, transition metals, and carbon-related products which has increased market growth. Nanocellulose in particular supports organic compounds, through which it exerts its mechanical qualities to the composite. Nanocellulose is a promising alternative as it involves structural strength, durability, and/or precise nano structuring. Responsive sheet, optoelectronics, and antimicrobial coatings, labeling, mechanically strengthened polymeric materials, tissue scaffolds, pharmaceutical distribution, biosensors, energy harvesting, catalysis, environment monitoring, and electrochemical isolation are the wide applications attributed to the market growth of nanocellulose. Nanocellulose market production includes phosphorylated nanocellulose which is an especially exciting material, covering a diverse range of applications in different measurements including bone implants, adsorbent materials, and flame repellents, as well as endorsing homogeneous catalysts heterogenization.
Properties of Nanocellulose
The following are the properties of nanocellulose listed below:
- More robust than Kevlar
- Electroconductive
- Non-Toxic
- Nanocellulose ‘s lateral dimensions vary from 5 to 20 nm, and its longitudinal size varies from a few 10’s of nanometers to multiple microns.
- The crystalline structure is translucent, with impenetrable gas.
- It can be processed in huge volumes in a very cost-effectively way.
- The tensile modulus is very strong as compared to as 8 times than that of steel.
- It is completely waterproof when used with aerogels or foams.
- It is the most available solvent on the planet.
Growth of Nanocellulose Market
The pursuit of new technologies and the enhancement of the characteristics of existing nanocellulose-based products are key driving forces for the nanocellulose market production. A large significant contributor to the share of the market growth of nanocellulose in the years ahead is expected to be the growing food & beverage sector along with increasing the health issue. Some of the companies in the packaging sector are now making major investment plans to enhance the properties of packaging products in terms of durability and recycling problems. A modern “active packaging” packaging technique integrates nanoparticles into a polymer that can avoid microbial food contamination. In the food & beverage industry, there has been a rapid growth. The growth in food & beverage sector is attributed to steadily increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products. In the food & beverage sector products that are minimally processed and preservative-free are propelling the nanocellulose market production and market growth.
Growth of the automobile industry, enhanced standard of living, and continued expansion of the cosmetics market are among the significant factors contributing to the global market growth of nanocellulose. Also, the growth of nanocellulose market is expected to witness massive demand over the next decades due to the demand in the oil and gas sector. Increasing demand of crude oil globally is projected to fuel the growth of the industry soon. It is estimated that rapid urbanization coupled with rising spending power in developed economies would fuel the growth of the nanocellulose market. Additionally, it is projected that the rapid growth of the paints & coatings industry together with the demand for biodegradable content would fuel market growth of nanocellulose.
The COVID-19 outbreak has significantly impacted the market of the nanocellulose industry. Most nations have experienced a sharp drop in demand for oil & gas due to lockdown and travel restraints. Therefore, many suppliers have halted or decreased production, impacting the demand from the oil and gas industry for nanocellulose market.
