A sustainable nitro-oxidation method has been used to extract carboxycellulose nanofibers directly from untreated (raw) agricultural residues such as Bean stalk, Sorghum stalk and Maize stalk. The use of nitric acid-sodium nitrite during nitro-oxidation has effectively removed the lignin and hemicellulose, and securely generated the carboxycellulose fibers. The slurry of carboxycellulose fibers then passed to homogenizer at low pressure of 250 bar for 1 cycle to produce nanofibers. The nanofibers generated from bean stalk, sorghum stalk and maize stalk have possessed carboxylate content in the range of 0.57-0.67 mmol/g. The structural characterization of these nanofibers was carried out using FTIR, WAXD, <sup>13</sup>C CPMAS NMR and TGA/DTG analysis.  In addition, the morphological characterization using TEM and AFM measurements have shown the length of these nanofibers were less than 1000 nm and width wasin between 4-6 nm. Analysis of effluent after neutralization with base has shown the presence of high concentration of nitrate (244.3 mg N/L), nitrite (3.02 mg N/L), perfectly fit as a nitrogen rich fertilizer for plants. The effluent was also found as a rich source of organic carbon having total organic carbon (TOC) was 113 mg C/L and total nitrogen (TN) content observed was 241 mg N/L.  <br/>

Nitro-oxidized carboxycellulose nanofibers

2019 Fall National Meeting

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