Critical Review on Sustainable Homogeneous Cellulose Modification: Why Renewability Is Not Enough

Abstract

As we passed the 20th anniversary of the publication of the 12 principles of\ngreen chemistry, the sustainable modification of cellulose, being the most\nabundant biobased polymer, is certainly worth considering. Many researchers\nwork on an efficient valorization of this renewable resource due to its\nmanifold and promising application possibilities, but very often the use of\nnon-sustainable approaches (i.e., solvents, reactants and modification\napproaches) only addresses the renewability aspect of cellulose, while\nneglecting most or all of the other principles of green chemistry. In this\nreview, we have employed the use of E-factors together with basic toxicity\ninformation to compare between various approaches for homogeneous cellulose\nmodification. This approach, though simple and certainly not overarching, can\nprovide a quick and useful first sustainability assessment. Therefore, in order\nto achieve a truly sustainable modification of cellulose, its renewability\ncombined with mild and efficient reaction protocols is crucial in order to\nobtain sustainable materials that are capable of reducing the overall negative\nimpact of today's fossil-based polymeric materials.\n