Cellulose nanofibers production using a set of recombinant enzymes

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are renewable and biodegradable nanomaterials with attractive barrier, mechanical and surface properties. In this work, three different recombinant enzymes: an endoglucanase, a xylanase and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, were combined to enhance cellulose fibrillation and to produce CNF from sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Prior to the enzymatic catalysis, SCB was chemically pretreated by sodium chlorite and KOH, while defibrillation was accomplished via sonication. We obtained much longer (μm scale length) and more thermostable (resisting up to 260 °C) CNFs as compared to the CNFs prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation. Our results showed that a cooperative action of the set of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes can be used as a "green" treatment prior to the sonication step to produce nanofibrillated cellulose with advanced properties.