Miscanthus Giganteus: A commercially viable sustainable source of cellulose nanocrystals

⿢Cellulose nanocrystals (MxG-CNC) are isolated from Miscanthus x. Giganteus.⿢MxG-CNC have aspect ratios between 60 and 70.⿢Cross-sectional dimensions of MxG-CNCs are ca. 2.8ÿ8.5nm.⿢Average length of these MxG-CNC is ca. 250⿿350nm.⿢Reinforcement of PVAc with MxG-CNC is equal or better than commercial...

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Published inCarbohydrate polymers Vol. 155; pp. 230 - 241
Main Authors Cudjoe, Elvis, Hunsen, Mo, Xue, Zhaojun, Way, Amanda E., Barrios, Elizabeth, Olson, Rebecca A., Hore, Michael J.A., Rowan, Stuart J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Elsevier Ltd 02.01.2017
Subjects
Cellulose nanocrystals
Hydrolysis
Miscanthus x. Giganteus
Nanocellulose
Nanocomposites
Sustainable
Hydrolysis
Nanocellulose
Nanocomposites
Sustainable
Miscanthus x. Giganteus
Cellulose nanocrystals
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Summary:⿢Cellulose nanocrystals (MxG-CNC) are isolated from Miscanthus x. Giganteus.⿢MxG-CNC have aspect ratios between 60 and 70.⿢Cross-sectional dimensions of MxG-CNCs are ca. 2.8ÿ8.5nm.⿢Average length of these MxG-CNC is ca. 250⿿350nm.⿢Reinforcement of PVAc with MxG-CNC is equal or better than commercial wood CNCs. With a goal of identifying a new scalable source for cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), we successfully isolated CNCs from a sustainable, non-invasive grass, Miscanthus x. Giganteus (MxG). Subjecting MxG stalks to base hydrolysis, bleaching and acid hydrolysis allowed access to cellulose nanocrystals (MxG-CNC) in high yields. X-ray diffraction studies showed the crystallinity of the MxG-CNCs increased with subsequent treatment conditions (>90% after HCl hydrolysis). Transmission electron microscopy showed that the MxG-CNC exhibit relatively high aspect ratios (60⿿70), and small angle neutron scattering showed the crystals were ribbon-like with a width and thickness of 8.5 and 2.8nm respectively. As expected, thermomechanical analysis of nanocomposites fabricated with carboxylic acid functionalized MxG-CNC (MxG-CNC-COOH) and PVAc showed an increase in modulus (above Tg) as filler content was increased. Comparing the properties to PVAc nanocomposites containing CNCs from wood showed at least as good, if not slightly better, reinforcement at the same loading level.
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ISSN:0144-8617
1879-1344
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.08.049