ABSTRACT
Cellulose was discovered almost 200 years ago by the French chemist Anselme Payen, who isolated it from plant matter and determined its chemical formula. Cellulose reinforced composites are a strong and real alternative to those reinforced with mineral and synthetic fibers in terms of environment, economics, and human safety. This chapter aims to show a broad overview of different types of cellulose reinforcement in terms of morphology, production method, and properties. It describes thermoplastic, thermoset, and rubber-based composites in terms of production and applications, and their potential use together with micro- and nanostructured cellulosic fibers. Fibers are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, extractive, and ash. The use of cellulose nanofibers presents a number of advantages, such as a reactive surface with OH presence, high aspect ratio, transparency, or low density.
