Hemicellulose-Based Polymers Processing and Application

Abstract

Hemicellulose is the second most abundant biomass in the world. Because of its unique chemical structure, hemicellulose has attracted more and more research and industry application under the background of fossil resource shortage and drawbacks. Hemicellulose is tended to be modified with esterification, etherification, cross-linkage and so on. These reactions change hemicellulose properties, so that it could be applied in many fields such as medical field, films, hydrogels, conductive polymers. Herein, we reviewed structure, isolation, reaction and applications of hemicellulose. Especially the useful pathways to change the hydrophilic character of hemicelluloses to hydrophobic are reviewed and several applications of these materials are discussed.