Preparation of cellulose nano/microfibres with ultra-high aspect ratios from tobacco stem using soda-oxygen delignification and ultrasonication

• Published in: Cellulose (London) 2023-06, Vol.30 (9), p.5607-5622
• Main Authors: Zhang, Kecan, Li, Jing, He, Liang, Zhou, Huajing, Guan, Qingqing, Chen, Keli, Shan, Shaoyun, Hu, Tianding
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthraquinones; Bioorganic Chemistry; Bursting strength; Cellulose; Ceramics; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Glass; High aspect ratio; Industrial wastes; Lignin; Microfibers; Natural Materials; Organic Chemistry; Original Research; Oxygen; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Raw materials; Sodium hydroxide; Sustainable Development; Tobacco
• ISSN: 0969-0239; 1572-882X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10570-023-05215-7

Cellulose nano/microfibres (CNFs/CMFs) with high aspect ratio were essential for mechanical strength and flexibility properties. In this study, the tobacco stem was employed as raw material for delignification with soda-oxygen (SO). By comparison with the caustic soda-anthraquinone (SAQ) treatment, based on process performance including pulp yield, residual lignin and fibre characteristics, the two-stage delignification process with total alkali 15% was selected for further preparing CNFs/CMFs with ultrasonication. Results showed that the aspect ratio of highly homogeneous CNFs/CMFs could achieve as ultra-high as 17,645. FTIR and XRD results showed that hemicellulose and lignin in CNFs/CMFs were widely removed, and the crystallinity was about 62%. TGA results exhibited that the degradation temperature was significantly enhanced to 330.2 °C. Finally, the CNF/CMF-based film was prepared and its folding endurance, tensile breaking strength, and burst strength could achieve 136, 61.28 N m/g, 278 kPa m 2 /g. The production of CNFs/CMFs from underutilized tobacco stems provided the potential to add value for industrial waste.