Cite this: RSC Advances, 2013, 3, 2873 Preparation of ceramic nanoparticles via cellulose- assisted glycine nitrate process: a review Received 11th July 2011, Accepted 15th November 2012 DOI: 10.1039/c2ra21810k www.rsc.org/advances Hansu Birol, a Carlos Renato Rambo,* b Marcela Guiotoku c and Dachamir Hotza b Ceramics exhibit several interesting properties, which make them the material of choice for a broad range of applications. Their physical and chemical properties are significantly improved by sub-micrometer ceramic powders with narrow particle size distribution, high chemical purity and crystallinity and no/weak agglomeration. However, powders with such superior characteristics are mostly synthesized by complex and costly processes, which are usually not ideal for production at an industrial scale. Therefore, developing simple, efficient, inexpensive and environmentally-benign processes for the preparation of high quality ceramic powders is of great interest both for the research community and industry. In this regard, this article reviews the research efforts in the preparation of ceramic nanopowders from cotton- cellulose, which is used as a sacrificial bio-template, in a glycine–nitrate process. Low processing temperatures, self-propagating nature of the reactions, high reaction rates, no necessity for extra energy and special apparatus are the characteristics of this process yielding extremely fine, homogenous and non- agglomerated powders. 1. Introduction In the last twenty years, notably in the last decade, several research papers have focused on the synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles/nanopowders (NP) with superior characteristics. The great majority of this work reported on the synthesis of high quality NP by complex and costly processes, which are usually not useful for production at an industrial scale. Therefore, developing simple, efficient, inexpensive and environmentally-benign processes for the preparation of high quality ceramic NP is of great interest both for the research community and industry. This is a consequence of the dramatic alterations in the physical and chemical properties of NP, 1–3 through which fascinating applications in electro- a Centro de Inovaço˜es CSEM Brasil, Pça. Carlos Chagas, 49, 30170-020, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil b Group of Ceramic and Glass Materials (CERMAT), Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Floriano´polis, SC, Brazil c Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecua ´ria (EMPRAPA), Centro Nacional de Pequisa de Florestas, 83411-000 Colombo, PR, Brazil Dr Hansu Birol completed his Ph.D. in fabrication of sensors and micro-fluidic structures using low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and thick film technolo- gies at EPFL, Switzerland. Following his doctorate, he joined the Piezotechnology Division of EPCOS OHG (pka. Siemens- Matsushita Components AG) as process development engineer to optimize the yield and product quality of the piezoelectric stacks used for fuel injection in diesel engines. He is currently the leader of the LTCC Technology Group at CSEM Brasil in Belo Horizonte, where his current area of interest is the development of advanced microsystems for high reliability applications in Brazilian Industry. Prof. Dr Carlos Renato Rambo graduated in Physics from the University of Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil (1994) and as a doctor in Materials Science and Engineering (University of Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil, 2001), and then worked as a post-doc at the University of Erlangen, Germany (2002–2005). He has worked at the Electrical Engineering Department of Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil as Adjunct Professor since 2010. He has been working on the development of nanostructured ceramics and composites for energy and electronic applications and has authored more than 60 publications. Hansu Birol Carlos Renato Rambo RSC Advances REVIEW This journal is ß The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013 RSC Adv., 2013, 3, 2873–2884 | 2873 Published on 15 November 2012. Downloaded on 24/07/2014 13:00:05. View Article Online View Journal | View Issue