Cellulose Nanoparticles Extracted from Sugarcane Bagasse and Their Use in Biodegradable Recipients for Improving Physical Properties and Water Barrier of the Latter

Antônio Jedson Caldeira Brant,Patrícia Ponce,Ademar Benévolo Lugão,Natália Naime

doi:10.4236/msa.2020.111007

Abstract

The present work firstly aimed to obtain cellulose from sugarcane bagasse by using alkaline methods in pulping/delignifying and, at bleaching stages, using sodium chlorite, glacial acetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide, associated to NaOH/KOH. The process was carried out at temperatures varying from 55°C to 110°C, under magnetic stirring in various steps lasting from 2 h to 12 h. The yields of the two cellulose extracted, SCB24-Na-I and SCB24-Na-II, were 37% and 41%, respectively, from samples of ca. 15 g of the bagasse. Secondly, it is to extract nanoparticles from the obtained celluloses via acid hydrolysis (with 77% H2SO4) to lately be tested as reinforcement in biodegradable packagings. Both celluloses and their respective nanoparticles were characterized by several techniques, among them ATR-FTIR, DSC-TGA, XRD, SEM, and TEM. Despite that the yields of cellulose nanoparticles have been low, the preliminary studies of their use in biodegradable films coated on biodegradable pots were promising.

Highlights

In order to obtain nanoparticles of cellulose (NPCs) in this work, hydrolysis was carried out using sulfuric acid (SA) in accordance with the methodology adapted from Michael Ioelovich (2012) [28], where dialysis bags after centrifugation steps were not used
Production of Nanoparticles of Cellulose (NPCs) In order to obtain the cellulose nanoparticles (NPCs), hydrolysis was carried out using sulfuric acid (SA) in accordance with the methodology adapted from Michael Ioelovich (2012) [28]
Ground by the miller equipped with a knife system, its moisture dropped to 15.54 ± 0.03 from another triplicate of samples evaluated, fact already explained in “Main raw material”

Summary

Introduction

In Brazil, its entrance was soon after the discovery and occupation by the Portuguese of this continental country in 1500, and it was brought by Martinho Afonso de Souza in 1531 [1] Nowadays, it is cultivated in all Brazilian states. Sugarcane bagasse—Saccharum officinarum L., the most cultivated species in Brazil—is an abundant waste in the sugar-alcohol industry as the result of the broth extraction after crushing sugarcane in the mills. It is the largest agro-industrial residue in Brazil, mainly used as fuel for cogeneration of electric energy along with its burning [3] [4] and forage for cattle feeding [5] [6]. Other important applications of sugarcane bagasse: manufacture of composts via composting [8] [9] [10]; biodegradable tubes and vases for use in plant cultivation in green-houses, e.g. Bio & Green Embalagens Biodegradáveis [11]; agglomerated panels are used in civil construction and in the furniture industry [12]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion