Review article

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Since last decades, nanocellulose has gained much attention in nanocomposite foams owing to high stiffness and strength, renewability, sustainability and biodegradability. Nanocellulose is hydrophilic, and could be easily dispersed in hydrophilic polymer matrices; however, there are challenges to introduce nanocellulose in less hydrophilic polymers. This review addresses the development of polymer nanocomposite foams with plant-based nanocellulose (cellulose nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals), and the chemical modification and mechanical approaches to enhance the dispersibility of nanocellulose in hydrophobic polymer matrices. The combination of nanocellulose and other nanoparticles such as graphene nanoplatelets, montmorillonite clay, carbon nanotubes and zeolites to yield multifunctional porous nanocomposite materials with promising features such as self-extinguishment, dye adsorption, microwave absorption, conductivity and biocompatibility is also discussed in this paper.