Production of Nanocellulose from Rice Husk

In this work, nanocellulose was produced from rice husk, as a lignocellulosic waste of rice. Initially, purified cellulose was produced with chemo-mechanical and soda-anthraquinone (soda/AQ) pulping and bleaching. The purified cellulose was then sonicated for 15 min using an ultrasonic processor, resulted in nanocellulose. The nanocellulose obtained by sonification has been characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Diameter of nanocellulose from rice husk by chemical method was 30-40 nm and that of produced by soda-AQ pulping method were 10-20 nm. The nanocellulose crystallinity for chemical method obtained 60% and for that of produced with soda-AQ pulping method was 66%. The degradation onset temperature for nanocellulose from rice husk by chemical method was 165°C and that of produced with soda-AQ pulping method were 188°c. The thermal behaviors of nanocellulose and purified cellulose were almost the same, suggesting the ultrasonic treatment had minor effect on the thermal decomposition of the nanocellulose

Evaluation of Effect of Steam Pretreatment on Water and Liquor Absorption of Wood Particles

This research was investigation of steaming pretreatment on water and liquor absorbtion by wood particles. In this study, wood particles steamed at two different temperature (110oC- 140oC), and then were saturated in water and liquor at two different temperature (25oC, 100oC). Liquor was supplied with two different consistencies. That is, sodium hydroxide %9, sodium sulfite %6 and sodum hydroxide %18, sodium sulfite %12. Result of this research has shown that maximum absorbed water was %95.5. It was treated with steam of 140oC for one hour, and minimum absorbed water was %68.9. It was treated with steam of 110oC for half an hour. So, maximum of absorbed liquor was %108.64. It was treated with steam of 140oC for one hour. And least of absorbed liquor was %99.88. It was treated with steam of 110oC for half hour. Moreover, maximum of water and liquor absorption for control samples were %94.98 and %107 respectively. However, they were less than treated samples