A New Protocol for Efficient and High Yield Preparation of Nanocellulose from Elaeis guineensis Biomass: A Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Study

An innovative system for isolating nanocellulose was established that uses Ni(NO 3 ) 2 transition metal salt without the assistance of mechanical disintegrations or mineral acid and was compared with the classic production by tedious acid hydrolysis. Optimization study on Ni(II)-catalyzed hydrolysis...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yahya, Mazlita, Chen, You Wei, Lee, Hwei Voon, Chuah, Cheng Hock, Hassan, Wan Hasamudin Wan
Format: Article
Published: Springer 2019
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Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/23132/
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-019-01373-7
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Summary:An innovative system for isolating nanocellulose was established that uses Ni(NO 3 ) 2 transition metal salt without the assistance of mechanical disintegrations or mineral acid and was compared with the classic production by tedious acid hydrolysis. Optimization study on Ni(II)-catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose isolated from oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) towards nanocellulose yield was investigated. Response surface methodology-central composite design was used to design and optimize the experiments with three operating parameters: pH of Ni(NO 3 ) 2 (pH 2–4), reaction time (20‒100 min) and reaction temperature (25‒65 °C). The present study indicated that the nanocellulose yield as high as 81.37% was achieved under hydrolysis conditions of pH 3, 58 °C within 58 min. At the optimum conditions, the OPEFB derived nanocellulose rendered high crystallinity of 91.1% and excellent thermal stability of 341 °C. Evidence of the successful isolation of nanocellulose was proven by HRTEM observation revealing fibrils formed the long and interconnected network-like structure with the average width of 41.1 ± 1.6 nm and several micrometers in length, which resulted in high aspect ratio. Thus, the obtained nanocellulose via Ni(II)-catalyzed hydrolysis has numerous potential applications and represent a green alternative for the treatment of OPEFB. This study provided a facile high yield procedure for the production of nanocellulose with similar characteristics to traditional nanocellulose, which was significant to the commercialization of nanocellulose. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.