Enzymatic Modification of Cellulose To Unlock Its Exploitation in Advanced Materials

Nowadays natural biopolymers have a wide variety of uses in various industrial applications, such as food, adhesives and composite materials. Among them, cellulose has attracted the interest of researchers due to its properties: high strength and flexibility, biocompatibility and nontoxicity. Despite that, in many cases its practical use is limited because of poor solubility and/or an unsuitable hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. In this context, enzymatic modification appears as a powerful strategy to overcome these problems through selective, green and environmentally friendly processes. This minireview discusses the different methods developed for the enzymatic modification of cellulose, emphasizing the type of reaction, the enzymes used (laccases, esterases, lipases, hexokinases, etc.), and the properties and applications of the cellulose derivatives obtained. Considering that cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer on Earth and can be derived from residual lignocellulosic biomass, the impact of its use in bio-based process following the logic of the circular economy is relevant.