Chapter 23: Viscoelastic Properties of Cellulose Nanoparticle-based Advanced Materials

Cellulose nanoparticles have become desirable biomaterials for building new and sustainable materials due in part to their reinforcement impact in polymers, and also because they are renewable and easily available. The biodegradability and large surface area coupled with acceptable structural, mechanical and creep resistance enhancement have made cellulose nanoparticles a filler of choice in many research and development studies. In this chapter, the viscoelastic behaviour enhanced in biopolymers by cellulose nanoparticles is explored. Polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol–borax (PB), conducting polymer hydrogels (CPHs), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(acrylamide) (PAM) have been reinforced with cellulose nanoparticles. Materials with suitable viscoelastic properties have found uses in speciality and advanced applications as hydrogels in biosensor engineering, flexible electronics platforms, tissue engineering, paints, pharmaceuticals, coatings, ceramics, food and household products and as semidiluted suspensions in cosmetics.