Turning polysaccharides into hydrophobic materials: a critical review. Part 1. Cellulose

This survey constitutes the first part of a comprehensive review, whose purpose is to provide a reasoned perspective in the field related to the preparation of new polysaccharide-based hydrophobic materials by scrutinizing the actual state of its art. This part of the review is entirely dedicated to cellulose, by far the most probed natural substrate, where publications dealing with both chemical and physical treatments aimed at inducing a substantial increase in the hydrophobic character of the surface are critically examined. Furthermore, this initiative constitutes an attempt to emphasize the relevance of this topic within the broader context of the elaboration of novel materials based on renewable resources as a viable alternative to their fossil-based counterparts.