Microscopic Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals Isolated from Sisal Fibers

Abstract:

Isolation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was carried out by unrepeated or repeated alkalization and bleaching followed by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and air cooling (unrepeated) or ice cooling (repeated). The influence of unrepeated and repeated alkalization and bleaching, and cooling rate (cooling medium) after hydrolysis on the morphology and crystallinity of the isolated micro- and nano-celluloses were characterized. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that repeated alkalization and bleaching led to a higher degree of fibrillated microcellulose (~10 mm) with higher surface roughness than unrepeated alkalization and bleaching. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that air and ice cooling after acid hydrolysis producing different CNCs morphologies; heterogeneous CNCs nanowhisker and nano-spherical (~50 nm), and homogenous CNCs nanowhiskers (~50 nm width and ~500 nm length), respectively. The homogeneous nano whisker was related to single phase monoclinic b-cellulose. Residual lignin agglutinating between the nanoparticles was observed in TEM image as well as in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The existence of residual lignin after hydrolysis is comparable in crystalinity (crystallinity index, I_c: ~91%) with that of isolated CNCs, as confirmed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 827)
• Pages: 174-179
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.827.174
• Online since: August 2015
• Authors: Harini Sosiati*, Mu'minul Muhaimin, Purwanto Purwanto, Dwi Astuti Wijayanti, Harsojo Harsojo, Soekrisno Soekrisno, Kuwat Triyana
• Keywords: Cellulose Nanocrystal, FTIR, SEM, Sisal Fiber, TEM, XRD

References

[1] M. Mariano, N.E. Kissi and A. Dufresne, Cellulose nanocrystals and related nanocomposites: Review of some properties and challenges, J. Polym. Sci. 52 (2014) 791-806.

DOI: 10.1002/polb.23490

[2] D. Gaspar, S.N. Fernandes, A.G. de Oliveira, J.G. Fernandes, P. Grey, R.V. Pontes, L. Pereira, R. Martins, M.H. Godinho and E. Fortunato, Nanocrystalline cellulose applied simultaneously as the gate dielectric and the substrate in flexible field effect transistor, Nanotechnology 25 (2014).

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/25/9/094008

[3] Y. Zhou, C.F. Hernandez, T.M. Khan, J.C. Liu, J. Hsu, J.W. Shim, A. Dindar. J.P. Youngblood, R.J. Moon and B. Kippelen, Recyclable organic solar cells on cellulose nanocrystal substrates, Scientific Report 3 (2013) 1-5.

DOI: 10.1038/srep01536

[4] A.N. Frone, S. Berlioz, J.F. Chailan and D.M. Panaitescu, Morphology and thermal properties of PLA-cellulose nanofibers composites, Carbohydrate Polym. 91 (2013) 377-384.

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.08.054

[5] J.I. Moran, V.A. Alvarez, V.P. Cyras and A. Vázquez, Extraction of cellulose and preparation of nanocellulose from sisal fibers, Cellulose 15 (2008) 149-159.

DOI: 10.1007/s10570-007-9145-9

[6] A. Kumar, Y.S. Negi, V. Choudhary and N.K. Bhardwaj, Characterization of cellulose nanocrystals produced by acid-hydrolysis from sugarcane bagasse as agro-waste, J. Mater. Phys. Chem. 2, 1 (2014) 1-8.

DOI: 10.12691/jmpc-2-1-1

[7] N.A. Rosli, I. Ahmad and I. Abdullah, Isolation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from agave angustifolia fiber, BioResouces 8, 2 (2013) 1893-(1908).

DOI: 10.15376/biores.8.2.1893-1908

[8] H. Kargarzadeh, I. Ahmad, I. Abdullah, A Dufresne, S.Y. Zainudin and R.M. Sheltami, Effects of hydrolysis conditions on morphology, crystallinity, and thermal stability of cellulose nanocrystals extracted from kenaf bast fibers, Cellulose, 19 (2012).

DOI: 10.1007/s10570-012-9684-6

[9] M. Ioelovich, Study of cellulose interaction with concentrated solution of sulfuric acid, International Scholarly Research Network ISRN Chem. Eng. (2012) 1-7.

[10] Purwanto, Characterization of isolated micro- and nano-cellulose from kenaf and sisal fibers, Master Thesis, (2014).

[11] H. Sosiati, M. Muhaimin, Purwanto, D.A. Wijayanti and K. Triyana, Nanocrystalline cellulose studied with a conventional SEM, International Conference on Physics, August 25, 2014, Yogyakarta.

DOI: 10.2991/icp-14.2014.3

[12] N. Chan, S.C. Prajapati and R.K. Singh, Development and characterization of sisal nanofiber reinforced polyolefin composites, J. Sci. Res. Rev. 13 (2012) 26-32.

[13] H. Sosiati and Harsojo, Effect of combined treatments methods on the crystallinity and surface morphology of kenaf bast fibers, Cellulose Chem. Technol. 48 (2014) 33-43.

[14] N. Nosbi, H.M. Akil, Z.A.M. Ishak and A. Abu Bakar, Behavior of kenaf fibers after immersion in several water conditions, BioResources, 6, 2 (2011) 950-960.

DOI: 10.15376/biores.6.2.950-960

[15] P. Yu, H. Block, Z. Niu, K. Doiron, Rapid characterization of molecular chemistry, nutrient make-up and microlocation of internal seed tissue, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 14 (2007) 382-390.

DOI: 10.1107/s0909049507014264

[16] M. M. Ibrahim, F. A. Agblevor and W. K. El-Zawawy, Isolation and characterization of cellulose and lignin from steam-exploded lignocellulosic biomass, BioResources, 5, 1 (2010) 397-418.

[17] Adapa, P.K., C. Karunakaran, L.G. Tabil and G.J. Schoenau, Potential applications of infrared and Raman spectromicroscopy for agricultural biomass, Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Ejournal Manuscript 1081, 9 (2009)1-25.

[18] T. Imai, J. Sugiyama and T. Itoh, Structure determination cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall of cladophora, Bulletin of the Wood Research Institute of Kyoto University, 84 (1997) 28-30.

[19] R. Liu, H. Yu and Y. Huang, Structure and morphology of cellulose in wheat straw, Cellulose, 12 (2005) 25-34.

DOI: 10.1023/b:cell.0000049346.28276.95

[20] L.Y. Mwaikambo and M.P. Ansell, Chemical modification of hemp, sisal, jute and kapok fibers by alkalization, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 84 (2007) 2222-2234.

DOI: 10.1002/app.10460