Cellulose Based

Exploring Cellulose: The Magical Polysaccharide in Nature

In the treasure trove of natural substances, cellulose holds a unique and crucial position. At the microscopic level, cellulose is a large-molecule polysaccharide formed by the linkage of glucose molecules. It has a "aloof" nature, being insoluble in water and not readily interacting with common organic solvents.

What is cellulose?

Looking at the macroscopic world, cellulose can be regarded as the most abundant natural organic polymer on Earth, without exception. It is widely distributed in every corner of nature and is the polysaccharide with the highest content. Meanwhile, it serves as the main "building material" for constructing plant cell walls, accounting for more than 50% of the carbon content in the plant kingdom. Take common wood as an example; the content of cellulose in it usually ranges from 40% to 50%. Along with it are 10% to 30% hemicellulose and 20% to 30% lignin. Moreover, plants such as wheat straw, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, and crop straws are also excellent sources of cellulose, waiting to be rationally developed and utilized.

Diverse Applications of Cellulose

1. Paper Product Production: Cellulose is the foundation of the paper-making industry. From ordinary writing paper and printing paper to thick cardboard, it is an essential raw material. During the paper-making process, the fibrous structure of cellulose imparts good toughness and strength to the paper.

2. Fiber Manufacturing: The emergence of rayon is inseparable from cellulose. Through specific chemical processing techniques, cellulose is transformed into a filamentous structure, thus producing soft and smooth rayon, which is widely used in the textile industry. In addition, when manufacturing nitrocellulose and nanofibers, cellulose is also an important basic material. These special fibers play a key role in fields such as national defense, electronics, and materials science.

3. Pharmaceutical Field: In the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose powder are often used as pharmaceutical fillers. They can not only increase the volume of drugs, making it convenient to formulate various dosage forms, but also improve the fluidity and compressibility of drugs, contributing to the production and storage of pharmaceuticals.qneg5

4. Food Industry: As a food thickener, cellulose can increase the viscosity of foods, giving foods like yogurt and jam a suitable texture. As an emulsifier, it can evenly mix oil and water, preventing the separation of layers in foods. As a stabilizer, it can maintain the shape and texture of foods, extending their shelf life.

5. With the global exploration of and increasing demand for renewable energy, cellulose shows great potential in the field of biofuels. Through bioconversion technology, cellulose can be broken down into sugars, which can then be fermented to produce biofuels such as bioethanol, providing a new approach to alleviating the energy crisis and reducing carbon emissions.

In commercial applications, one of the most important uses of cellulose is in paper-making. The category of household paper is extremely extensive, covering daily necessities such as toilet paper, kitchen paper, disposable napkins, handkerchiefs, facial tissues, and various away-from-home (AFH) household paper products.

In the production of household paper, hardwood pulp made from eucalyptus and birch pulp plays a unique role. It is like a magical "magician" that endows these products with a soft and comfortable touch, making people feel comfortable when using them. At the same time, hardwood pulp also provides the necessary strength to the products, making them less likely to be damaged during use and ensuring their practicality and durability.