Nanocellulose, more specifically cellulose micro/nanofibrils (CMNFs) have been proposed for several high value commercial applications such as rheology modifiers for coatings, composite films for barrier and strength properties, food packaging products such as ice-cream, oil-wells, etc. The disintegration process of cellulose fibers into nanocellulose is a very challenging, energy intensive, and time-consuming process. To minimize energy consumption, several pretreatments for cellulosic fibers are possible that aid in defibrillation. Among these pretreatments include alkali pretreatment to remove lignin, oxidative pretreatment to resolve aggregation, enzymatic pretreatment to reduce molecular weight or degree of polymerization, etc. However, all these pretreatments increase waste generation and complexity for nanocellulose production. In this study, a chemical-free process was used to produce lignin-containing nanocellulose from agricultural crops and waste, i.e., hemp hurds without chemical pretreatment. The obtained lignin-containing cellulose micro/nanofibers (L-CMNF) from hemp hurds were characterized in terms of morphology, crystallinity, composition, and charge distribution. Further, the fundamental properties of L-CMNF were compared with cellulose micro/nanofibers obtained from bleached wood pulp (B-CMNF).

Chemical-free, green factory for lignin-containing nanocellulose production

2019 Spring National Meeting

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