Research Progress on Chemical Modification and Application of Cellulose: A Review

Cellulose is a rich natural polymer material, which has the characteristics of biodegradability, environmental friendliness and good biocompatibility. However, compared with conventional materials, there are some shortcomings in performance, such as intolerance corrosion, limited strength and so on. The chemical modification of cellulose not only retains its own excellent characteristics, but also introduces functional groups to endow it with specific properties. The chemical modification and utilization of cellulose has been the focus of research. In this paper, the latest advances in chemical modification of cellulose, such as esterification, etherification and grafting modification, are introduced. The research and application results of cellulose derivatives in food, wastewater treatment, medicine and papermaking in recent years are reviewed.