A non crystalline or low crystallinity cellulose. A method of making a non crystalline or low crystallinity cellulose comprising providing cellulosic material, adding an effective acid in an amount effective to at least wet the cellulosic material, mixing the cellulosic material and acid under conditions effective to form an essentially uniformly wet condition, letting the mixture sit at ambient conditions for a period of time sufficient to form a viscous fluid, adding water or other diluent in an amount sufficient to lower the acid concentration and to form a slurry, dewatering the slurry, and removing any residual acid from the dewatered slurry.