Utilization of Agricultural Waste from Paddy (Rice) Fields for the Synthesis of Nanocellulose

Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary science with multifold applications in various fields. Nanocellulose is an emerging sustainable material possessing marvellous features. It has broad range of prospects in several research areas especially in agriculture sector. This study aims at utilization of agricultural waste of rice (Oryza sativa) from paddy fields viz. rice husk and rice stem into novel commodities i.e., cellulose nanofibres and cellulose nanocrystals. Chemo-mechanical treatment was adopted for successful extraction of cellulose nanofibres from rice stem and cellulose nanocrystals from rice husk. Morphological investigations were accomplished by different microscopic techniques such as atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed for identification of attached functional groups. X-ray diffraction study revealed the crystallinity of the synthesized nanocellulose. Thermogravimetric analysis showed the decomposition and degradation of obtained cellulose nanofibres and cellulose nanocrystals. Transmission electron microscopy depicted 50 nm diameter range of cellulose nanofibres of rice stem and atomic force microscopy illustrated 76.77 nm diameter of cellulose nanocrystals of rice husk.