Isolation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanofibrils from Banana Pseudostem, Oil Palm Trunk, and Kenaf Bast Fibers Using Chemicals and High-intensity Ultrasonication

ABSTRACT

The adoption of high-intensity ultrasonication in the isolation process of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) as an economical, timesaving, and environmental-friendly process has been explored. Three types of raw organic fibers, i.e., banana pseudostem, oil palm trunk, and kenaf bast were analyzed for the production of CNF using the process mentioned earlier. Before the raw organic fibers were subjected to a high-intensity ultrasonication process, it underwent an alkaline treatment to eliminate the non-cellulosic compounds. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs confirmed the presence of nanofibrils in all three different types of CNF. The frequency, amplitude, and duration of ultrasonication used in this study were sufficient to produce CNF. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated that the chemical treatment employed in this paper was effective in removing the compounds, especially lignin and hemicellulose. The increase in crystallinity, which is one of the advantages of CNF, was observed from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. Hence, it can be deduced that high-intensity ultrasonication could simplify the complex process of CNF isolation compared to the conventional method, widening the utilization and source of CNF in the industry.

摘要

本研究提出了一种新颖的概念，作为一种结构多样的反扭法，生产出具有低余扭矩的超软特性纱线. 几何分析表明，反向扭转应力的定期干预重塑了纱线结构中的纤维排列，导致纤维运动轨迹从原来的同心螺旋到变形的非同心螺旋，出现反向纤维段. 机械性能预测显示，纱线表观结构倾斜角较低的反扭曲纱线的湿咆哮比具有相同扭曲力的较不扭曲纱线小得多. 然后，对两次扭法产生的反扭曲纱线和扭纺率较低的纱线进行系统比较，结果表明，反扭纱线的残余扭矩和纱线强度比较少扭纱线低. 然而，反扭曲的纱线有蓬松的结构与更多的毛性.

KEYWORDS:

• Yarn structure
• yarn residual torque
• against-twisted yarn
• twist reduction
• fiber motion trace

关键词:

• 关键字
• 纱线结构
• 纱线残余扭矩
• 旋转
• 扭曲减少
• 光纤运动轨迹

Acknowledgments

We express our appreciation to Mr. Nik Fakurudin Nik Ali of the School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Mr. Rafiuz Zaman Haroun of the Bioscience Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia for their help in obtaining the FESEM and TEM micrographs.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the UMK-PRO, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan [R/PRO/A1300/00648A/003/2020/00753]; Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia [203.PPSK.6171254]; Short Term Research Grant, Universiti Sains Malaysia [304/PPSK/6315499]; Research Acculturation Grant Scheme, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia [R/RAGS/A08.00/01030A/001/2015/000217]; UMK Rising Star, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan [R/STA/A1300/00648A/004/2020/00788].