Water-redispersible cellulose nanocrystals adsorption of glucose via alcohol precipitation

Abstract

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are difficult to redisperse in water after completely dried due to their irreversible agglomeration during drying. Various alternatives have been proposed in the literature, some of which require energy-intensive methods of redispersion or might use an additive that is inadequate or toxic for food and pharmaceutical-related applications. The present work examined a novel approach that involved using glucose as redispersing agents to redisperse CNCs. The experimental data indicated that glucose could be adsorbed onto the surface of CNCs through alcohol precipitation. The oven-dried CNCs, which were adsorbed with glucose via alcohol precipitation, could be homogeneously redispersed in water. The water-redispersed CNCs showed similar particle size distribution and zeta potential to those of the CNCs without drying.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Redispersion
• alcohol precipitation
• cellulose nanocrystals
• glucose

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Opening Project of Guangxi Key Laboratory of Clean Pulp & Papermaking and Pollution Control, Nanning 530004, PR China (2019KF16), the Shaanxi University of Science and Technology Academic Leader Training Program (2013XSD25), and the High-level Foreign Experts Project (GDT20186100425).