2 research outputs found
Preparation and Characterisation of Cellulose Nanocrystal from Sugarcane Peels by XRD, SEM and CP/MAS 13C NMR
Sugarcane peels are agro-waste resources discarded before taking the
sugarcane juice. In the present study, cellulose nanocrystal was isolated from
sugarcane peel by sulphuric acid hydrolysis. Two pretreatments, alkaline treatment
and bleaching with acidified sodium chlorite, were applied. Sulphuric acid hydrolysis
was performed at 450C for 45 min using 64% concentrated sulphuric acid. The
resulting cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) of the sugarcane peel was characterised by
studying the surface morphology using scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-ray
diffraction (XRD) was studied to identify the crystalline nature of the CNC. CP/MAS
13C solid- state NMR was used to evaluate the purity and molecular structure of the
CNC. The SEM image of the nanocrystal showed that the bundles of fibre were
separated into individual CNC, with the size decreasing to a nanosize indicating an
effective removal of the amorphous region. XRD diffraction pattern showed that the
CNC possessed the cellulose crystalline configuration with crystallinity index of
99.2% and crystallite particle size dimension of 5.56 nm. The NMR spectra of the
CNC revealed that all the signals have six carbon atoms of cellulose and the
disappearance of several signals also indicated the disruption of the amorphous
region. The results revealed effective synthesis of CNC from sugarcane peel,
suggesting the leaching of the amorphous domain, apparent crystallinity and purity of
the CNC. The cellulose nanocrystal prepared is considered to be a potent material for
various industrial applications