Cellulose nanocrystals from agricultural residues (

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Agro-residues are increasingly explored for cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) extraction.
• Nile roses (Eichhornia crassipes) present a viable, underutilized biomass source.
• CNCs offer unique properties for diverse applications and climate change mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extract CNCs from Nile rose fibers (NRFs) via acid hydrolysis.
• To investigate the effect of hydrolysis duration on CNC properties.
• To compare NRF-derived CNCs with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a control.

Main Methods:

• NRFs underwent alkaline pulping and bleaching pretreatments.
• Acid hydrolysis was performed at 45°C for durations of 5 to 30 minutes.
• Characterization included XRD, FT-IR, TEM, and XPS.

Main Results:

• Crystallinity index peaked at 10 minutes hydrolysis, then decreased, confirmed by FT-IR.
• TEM revealed spherical CNCs at 30 minutes, with optimal fibrillar structures at 20 minutes.
• XPS confirmed CNCs primarily composed of carbon and oxygen.

Conclusions:

• Acid hydrolysis duration significantly impacts CNC morphology and crystallinity.
• 20-minute hydrolysis is optimal for producing fibrillar CNCs from Nile rose fibers.
• Nile rose fibers are a promising source for sustainable CNC production.