Recent Developments in Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Cellulose Nanocrystals

Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) have been touted to be among the materials of the 21^st century. It is an emerging biocompatible and biodegradable nanomaterial with unique physicochemical properties adaptable to various surface modifications. The characteristics and properties of CNCs are now understood to depend upon the source of the cellulose and the conditions of its isolation. Over the past decade, CNCs with various morphologies, including rod, ribbon, needle shapes, spherical, square, block and rectangular shapes with unique surface properties, have been synthesized. Studies have shown that surface and morphological properties of CNCs have substantial control over the rheology, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake, which ultimately influence its purposive biomedical applications. The objective of the current survey is to analyze the advances made in the shape-controlled synthesis and fabrication of CNCs morphology and review the influence such morphological variations have on its functionality in biomedical fields.