Figure 12.

An example of CNF production methods and CNF-based biomaterials for cargo delivery. (a) Extraction of CNF from trees via the physical disintegration of chemically-modified cellulose fibrils [248], Copyright (2011), with permission from Elsevier. (b) Hydrogels made up of carboxylated CNF and chitosan for the controlled release of 5-FU [189], reprinted with permission from [189], copyright (2018) American Chemical Society. (c) CNF nanocomposites for chemotherapeutic delivery via direct drug binding to Fe₃O₄-Ag₂O quantum dot-decorated CNF [185], copyright (2017), with permission from Elsevier. (d) CNF foams, providing a sustained release of active molecules (riboflavin) as a result of increased diffusion path [247], copyright (2016), with permission from Elsevier. (e) Concentrated CNF dispersions readily form a shear-thinning hydrogel, which may be used for the delivery of anti-cancer drugs, such as metformin (Met) [183] (Copyright (2017), with permission from Elsevier) and Dox [191] (Copyright (2018), with permission from John Wiley and Sons) for treating melanoma.