Carbohydrate nanotubes production and its techno-economic validation

Abstract

The production of carbohydrate nanotubes (CHNTs) using agricultural wastes is proposed in this investigation. The corncob was found to be the most productive for our purpose among the four lignocellulosic raw materials tested. CHNTs production was accomplished in two stages. Tubular cellulose (TC) was prepared from raw substrates through a delignification process, and the prepared tubes of TC were cut into nano-size carbohydrate tubes in a chemical-free process. To achieve this, cellulase was produced in our lab using agricultural residue, employing the non-pathogenic fungus Trichoderma reesei, a high cellulase producer. Analysis of the produced CHNTs proved stability, nano-dimension lengths, and increased crystallinity. The technoeconomic feasibility report showed that the production of CHNTs is cost-effective. This was supported by a process flow sheet with mass and energy balances based on laboratory experimental results.