Production of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Australian Wood Sources

Two Australian native wooden sources (Acacia Mangium and Eucalyptus Globulus) derived pulps were explored as raw feed stocks to prepare the valuable nanomaterial of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). After bleaching and acid hydrolysis, cellulose nanocrystals were successfully produced with high yields of approximately 60% for both kraft pulps. According to the characterization of SEM and AFM, the as prepared CNC had a rod like structure with the length and diameter in the range of 200~1000 nm and 10~100 nm, respectively based on the initial wooden source. XRD confirmed the crystalline structure of the resulting CNC. Further characterisation by TGA showed that the chemical treatment of the wood pulp had impact upon the thermal stability, evidenced by a lower onset temperature of the thermal decomposition of CNC.