Recent advances in nanocellulose for biomedical applications

TLDR

Nanocellulose materials have rapidly advanced as promising biomedical materials owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low cytotoxicity, and versatile morphologies, enabling applications in implants, tissue engineering, drug delivery, wound healing, and cardiovascular therapies. This review examines recent advances in the design and fabrication of cellulose nanocrystals, bacterial nanocellulose, and cellulose nanofibrils for biomedical use, outlining material requirements, challenges, and future directions. The authors survey recent design and fabrication strategies for cellulose nanocrystals, bacterial nanocellulose, and cellulose nanofibrils, assessing material requirements and challenges for biomedical applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.; J.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Nanocellulose materials have undergone rapid development in recent years as promising biomedical materials because of their excellent physical and biological properties, in particular their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low cytotoxicity. Recently, a significant amount of research has been directed toward the fabrication of advanced cellulose nanofibers with different morphologies and functional properties. These nanocellulose fibers are widely applied in medical implants, tissue engineering, drug delivery, wound‐healing, cardiovascular applications, and other medical applications. In this review, we reflect on recent advancements in the design and fabrication of advanced nanocellulose‐based biomaterials (cellulose nanocrystals, bacterial nanocellulose, and cellulose nanofibrils) that are promising for biomedical applications and discuss material requirements for each application, along with the challenges that the materials might face. Finally, we give an overview on future directions of nanocellulose‐based materials in the biomedical field. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 41719.