What are the differences between cellulose nanocrystals, nanocellulose and microcrystalline cellulose

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), nanocellulose (CNF) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) are materials of different forms extracted from cellulose. They are different in terms of structure, preparation method, size, characteristics and applications. . The following is a detailed comparison from several aspects:

1. Definition and structure

Cellulose Nanocrystals

Definition: CNC is a rigid and highly crystalline nanocrystal part extracted from natural cellulose by chemical or enzymatic methods.

Structure: highly ordered crystalline regions in cellulose chains with rod-shaped or needle-shaped morphology.

Size: Diameter 5-20 nm, length 100-300 nm, high crystallinity (>80%).

Nanofibrils (CNF, Cellulose Nanofibrils)

Definition: CNF is a mechanical or chemical deconstruction of cellulose into a long fibrous material with a nanometer diameter.

Structure: It consists of crystalline and non-crystalline regions of cellulose, and is flexible fibrous.

Size: Diameter 10-100 nm, length minuscule, medium crystallinity.

Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC, Microcrystalline Cellulose)

Definition: MCC is a micron-scale crystal material formed by removing amorphous areas in cellulose through acid dissolution and other methods.

Structure: consists of crystalline regions, granular or rod-shaped, with a size greater than the nanometer scale.

Size: diameter approximately 1-20 µm, length tens to hundreds of microns, crystallinity between 40%-60%.

IV. Application fields

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)

Mechanical reinforcement materials: Strengthen the strength and rigidity of composite materials, such as high-performance plastics, coatings, etc.

Optical Materials: Because of its good transparency and optical activity, it is used in polarized films and optical sensors.

Medicine: As a drug delivery carrier or biosensor, it demonstrates excellent biocompatibility.

Nanocellulose (CNF)

Flexible materials: used to make flexible films, filter materials and adsorbent materials.

Biomedicine: Making biostents, tissue engineering materials, etc.

Green packaging: for biodegradable plastics and highly barrier packaging materials.

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)

Food additives: as thickeners, stabilizers or dietary fiber supplements.

Drug excipients: used as fillers or disintegrants in tablet production.

Industrial use: used in papermaking, coatings and other fields to increase product uniformity and stability.

Different materials are suitable for different application scenarios. CNC and CNF are more suitable for high-performance materials due to their nanoscale characteristics, while MCC is mainly used in food, pharmaceutical and industrial fields because of its simple and low-cost preparation. Selecting the appropriate cellulose material according to the needs can more efficiently meet the actual application needs.