Esterified cellulose nanofibres from saw dust using vegetable oil.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) are derived from abundant lignocellulosic biomass.
• Sawdust, a wood industry by-product, is an underutilized source for CNF extraction.
• Surface modification of CNFs can impart desirable properties like hydrophobicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extract and characterize CNFs from sawdust.
• To chemically modify CNFs with canola oil via esterification.
• To evaluate the impact of surface modification on CNF nanopaper properties.

Main Methods:

• CNF extraction from sawdust using chemical and mechanical treatments.
• Esterification of CNFs with vegetable canola oil.
• Nanopaper preparation via solvent evaporation.
• Characterization using FTIR, XRD, TGA, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and tensile testing.

Main Results:

• Successful grafting of hydrocarbon chains onto CNFs, increasing hydrophobicity.
• Esterification method and degree of substitution significantly influenced properties.
• High degree of substitution (>0.8) decreased crystallinity (<40%), light transmittance, mechanical strength, and thermal stability.

Conclusions:

• Sawdust is a viable source for CNF production.
• Canola oil esterification effectively modifies CNF surface properties.
• Optimizing the degree of substitution is crucial for tailoring CNF nanopaper performance.