A Comparison Study on the Characteristics of Nanofibrils Isolated from Fibers and Parenchyma Cells in Bamboo.

Xiaofeng Zhang,Xingong Li,Yan Qing,Hankun Wang,Hanxiao Huang

doi:10.3390/ma13010237

Abstract

In this study, bamboo fibers and parenchyma cells were separated by a physical water-medium method. To compare the characteristics of nanofibrils from these two types of cells, lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were prepared by different processes. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that both fibers and parenchyma cells can be separated into individual fibrils after grinding three times. However, LCNFs had a diameter of 20–40 nm, which was larger than that of CNFs (10–20 nm). Additionally, the films prepared from LCNFs had lower tensile strength, but higher hydrophobicity compared with those from CNFs. X-ray diffraction analysis and tensile test of the films showed that the nanofibrils isolated from fibers and parenchyma cells had similar crystallinity and mechanical properties. This study shows a promising application of bamboo parenchyma cells, which are usually discarded as waste in the processing of bamboo products, in the preparation of nanofibers.

Highlights

Cellulose is synthesized by a wide range of organisms, including all green plants, certain bacteria, fungi, and even some animals, and is one of the most abundant renewable resources on earth.Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), which have a diameter of 10–50 nm and a length of several micrometers [1], have been prepared from lignocellulose biomass
Some studies have reported that fibrillated material with residual lignin could be a good alternative to bleached fibers in the production of lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs), considering with advantages of higher hydrophobicity, good thermal properties, high yields and more environmental friendliness [7,8]
Due to the low utilization of bamboo parenchyma cells in production, the main objective of this study is to explore the potential of parenchyma cells for preparing nanocellulose

Summary

Introduction

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), which have a diameter of 10–50 nm and a length of several micrometers [1], have been prepared from lignocellulose biomass. Due to their exceptional mechanical properties and high aspect ratio, they have attracted much attention for applications in films [2], composite materials [3] and electronics [4]. CNFs are generally prepared by a process involving chemical pretreatment and mechanical fibrillation. Some studies have reported that fibrillated material with residual lignin could be a good alternative to bleached fibers in the production of lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs), considering with advantages of higher hydrophobicity, good thermal properties, high yields and more environmental friendliness [7,8]. CNFs are widely popular, but the high content of free hydroxyl groups makes them highly hydrophilic, which results in a high absorption of moisture

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Conclusion