Cellulose Functional Gels: Physical Design and Promising Applications

Cellulose gels, including ionic gels, hydrogels, and aerogels, are 3D, soft polymeric materials known for their excellent properties and designability. As sustainability and green chemistry gain prominence, performance improvement and functional design of cellulose gels have attracted growing attention. The macroscopic physical properties of cellulose gels can be shaped by constructing a gel network, which can be regulated by physical methods such as freezing, force induction, and heat treatment to adjust the mechanical properties, transparency, and thermal stability of cellulose. Additionally, structural design and self-assembly of cellulose at the molecular level can endow cellulose gels with diverse functions, such as stretchability, high toughness, ionic conductivity, and self-healing ability. These characteristics give them broad application potential in biomedicine, flexible electronics, adsorption, and food engineering. This article delves into the fundamental concepts, physical properties and design, enhancement methods, molecular strategies, and trending applications of cellulose-based gels across various fields. It provides a comprehensive overview of this promising material and offers insights and guidance for future research and development.