ABSTRACT
Cellulose is abundant as a structural component of plants with properties based on a regular stereochemical structure that leads to strong intra-and intermolecular interactions and packing into crystalline arrays that build into increasing levels of supramolecular structures. Cellulose is a remarkable material from its primary chemical bonding through each structural level to realization of the resultant mechanical properties. Cellulose poses problems for the polymer scientist in that it cannot be melted, it is insoluble in almost all liquids, and it is found accompanied by several other materials including hemicelluloses, lignin, pectin, and waxes. In plants, via its association with other materials, cellulose provides us with an example of the structure and properties of a composite. Craftsman can use cellulosic materials from their natural form by mechanically shaping them. Materials scientists need to separate the cellulose from plant materials and reconstitute it into new materials, independent of the ber source. The cellulose bers are then able to be combined with other polymers and additives, and shaped into complex products using normal moulding techniques.
