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Pilot-scale production of cellulosic nanowhiskers with similar morphology to cellulose nanocrystals

Formally Refereed

Abstract

This study describes a class of cellulosic nanomaterials, cellulosic nanowhiskers (CNWs), and demonstrates scaled-up production with acid recovery using less expensive equipment made of common stainless steel rather than glass-lined steel. CNWs produced using concentrated maleic acid (MA) hydrolysis followed by mechanical fibrillation have morphology similar to MA-produced cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and sulfuric-acid-produced CNCs (S-CNCs) but differ in crystallinity. Applications of CNWs as a substitute for CNCs for which morphology and surface charge, rather than crystallinity, are the pertinent characteristics are presented. The tested CNW suspensions have a wider viscosity range of 0.001 to 1000 Pa.s over a variety of shear rates of 0.01 to 1000 1/s compared to S-CNCs of 0.001 to 0.1 Pa.s and are better suited for applications such as rheology modification and 3D printing. This study proposes CNWs as a less expensive and sustainable replacement for CNCs in applications that do not require crystalline properties.

Keywords

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), mechanical fibrillation, suspension rheology, carboxylation, dispersion, acid hydrotrope

Citation

Wang, Huihui; Zhu, Jonathan J.; Ma, Qianli; Agarwal, Umesh P.; Gleisner, Roland; Reiner, Richard; Baez, Carlos; Zhu, J. Y. 2020. Pilot-scale production of cellulosic nanowhiskers with similar morphology to cellulose nanocrystals. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 8: 5791. 13 p.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/61330