Surface Modification of Nanocellulose

Nanocellulose is a promising biopolymer for various advanced applications. However, the presence of a large amount of hydroxyl groups often leads to the flocculation of nanocellulose in nonpolar solvents. To overcome this challenge, various chemical modifications are often used. This chapter summarizes the chemical surface modifications of nanocellulose. We start with the discussion of conventional esterification of nanocellulose with acetic anhydrides and carboxylic acids. A greener esterification of nanocellulose without using a solvent is also discussed. In addition to this, this chapter also discusses the silylation of nanocellulose and the grafting of polymer onto the surface of nanocellulose based on "grafting from" and "grafting to" approaches. Cross-linking of nanocellulose layers with glyoxal and the sulfonation of nanocellulose are also discussed.