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Mechanochemistry of cellulose

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Abstract

Mechanochemistry is a rapidly developing field in organic chemistry and materials processing. Its application to cellulose has not been abundant, but is giving rise to important discoveries after ca. 2010. Here the works on mechanochemical processing of cellulose and related substances are reviewed under classification of reaction types: saccharification, esterification, radical reactions, decrystallization/nano-dispersion. Historical development in each topic is tabulated. Special emphasis is laid on solid-state milling by ball mill/attritor. Notable recent findings are briefly commented. Potential of mechanical devices is discussed. 82 references.

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Fig. 1

Reproduced from Hick et al. (2010) with permission

Fig. 2

Reproduced from Käldström et al. (2014) with permission

Fig. 3

Reproduced from Dornath et al. (2015) with permission

Fig. 4

Reproduced from Huang et al. (2012) with permission

Fig. 5

Reproduced from Ago et al. (2007) with permission

Fig. 6

Reproduced from Zhao et al. (2016b) with permission

Fig. 7

Reproduced from Zhao et al. (2016a) with permission

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Notes

  1. Another important cellulose ester is nitrate, but challenge for it is not endorsed for its intrinsic hazard.

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Acknowledgments

This work was made possible through collaboration with Pei Huang, Peipei Sun, Mengmeng Zhao, and other students at Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing. The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51733009, 51472253, 51373191 and 51043003). We thank Ms. Feixue Lu for support in manuscript preparation.

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  1. Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Shigenori Kuga

  2. Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, People’s Republic of China

    Min Wu

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Kuga, S., Wu, M. Mechanochemistry of cellulose. Cellulose 26, 215–225 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-018-2197-1

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