The prospects for future applications of cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose esters (CE) were assessed via an analysis of literature data. An examination of more than 50,000 citations in the published literature with relevance to CA and CE has shown that, while the R&D effort continues without discernible slow-down, the emphasis has shifted in favor of D at the expense of R in recent years; more publications now originate in Southeast Asian countries; and most current journal articles deal with specialty products, such as membranes, controlled release agents, and biopolymers. The prospects for future applications are viewed as being related to the ability to add new performance features to CA, particularly thermal processability, water-dispersibility, and the ability to interact with other polymers on the molecular level. This can be achieved by such secondary modifications as the introduction of plasticizing (mixed) ester substituents, carboxyl groups, and the use of (monofunctional) oligomers in block copolymers, respectively. In addition, the adoption of acetylation technology to lower grade pulps and even wood and wood fibers may result in new business opportunities in thermoplastic and soluble wood esters, or in acetylated solid wood products with superior dimensional, biological and light-stability characteristics.
