Structural diversity of natural cellulose and related applications using delignified wood

Abstract Cellulose is synthesized by organisms belonging to each biological kingdom, from bacteria to terrestrial plants, leading to its global-scale distribution. However, the structural properties of cellulose, such as its microfibril size, crystal form, cross-sectional shape, and uniplanar orientation, vary among species. This mini-review discusses the structural properties and diversity of cellulose. After describing historical developments in the structural analysis of cellulose, the technique of intracrystalline deuteration and rehydrogenation to understand structural diversity—particularly the localization of crystalline allomorphs in single microfibril—is discussed. Furthermore, the development of cellulose materials that maintain hierarchical structures of wood is introduced, and methods for producing functional materials are presented.