In this study, Cr(NO3)3 acted as a Lewis acid to react with cellulose molecules for the production of the nanostructured product. The possible mechanism behind this phenomenon is that Cr3+ ions can dissociate into a coordination complex structure with water molecules (H2O) at the initial hydrolysis stage. The H2O molecules tend to be polarized by this central metal ion by withdrawing its electron density, resulting in the H-atoms in hydroxyl groups (O–H) becoming more electropositive. However, the original state of these complex ions was unstable and there was a high probability of becoming deprotonated by releasing hydronium (H3O+), further enhancing the acidity of the reaction mixture . The detail reaction steps are as follows: Cr(NO3)3 + 6H2O → [Cr(H2O)6]3+ + 3NO3−(1) [Cr(H2O)6]3+ + H2O → [Cr(H2O)5(OH)]2+ + H3O+(2) [Cr(H2O)5(OH)]2+ + H2O → [Cr(H2O)4(OH)2]+ + H3O+(3) [Cr(H2O)4(OH)2]+ + H2O → [Cr(H2O)3(OH)3] + H3O+(4)