Cellulose nanocrystals isolated from oil palm trunk

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Oil palm trunk (OPT) is a lignocellulosic biomass abundant in tropical regions.
• Valorization of OPT biomass is crucial for sustainable material development.
• Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) offer unique properties for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize cellulose nanocrystals from oil palm trunk (Elaeis guineensis).
• To investigate the effect of acid hydrolysis on CNC properties.
• To evaluate the potential of OPT as a source for CNC production.

Main Methods:

• Acid hydrolysis for cellulose nanocrystal isolation.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for morphology and size analysis.
• Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural and thermal characterization.

Main Results:

• CNCs isolated from raw OPT fibers averaged 7.67 nm in diameter and 397.03 nm in length.
• CNCs from hot water treated OPT fibers averaged 7.97 nm in diameter and 361.70 nm in length.
• Chemical treatment effectively removed lignin and hemicellulose, increasing CNC crystallinity (68-70%) and thermal stability.

Conclusions:

• Oil palm trunk is a viable source for producing cellulose nanocrystals.
• Acid hydrolysis is an effective method for isolating CNCs with improved properties.
• The resulting CNCs possess desirable characteristics for use in composite materials and other advanced applications.