Abstract
Microfibrillated cellulose was extracted from hemp fibres using steam explosion pretreatment and high-intensity ultrasonic treatment (HIUS). The acquired results after steam explosion treatment and water and alkali treatments are discussed and interpreted by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the microstructure of hemp fibres before and after each treatment. A fibre size analyser was used to analyse the dimensions of the untreated and treated cellulose fibrils. SEM observations show that the sizes of the different treated fibrils have a diameter range of several micrometres, but after HIUS treatment fibres are separate from microfibrils, nanofibres, and their agglomerates.
Highlights
Hemp fibres have high strength, low density, and high sustainability; they are used as reinforcement in composite materials
This study shows that there are substantial differences on the isolation of hemp microfibrils after various treatments, surface morphology, physical properties, and chemical composition of microfibrils
The cellulose microfibrils made by steam explosion and high-intensity ultrasonic treatment (HIUS) treatment were light and dark brown depending on treatment conditions and severity parameter, still indicating the presence of residual organic substrates, including a small amount of lignin
Summary
Hemp fibres have high strength, low density, and high sustainability; they are used as reinforcement in composite materials. This usefulness of cellulose fibrils is because small fibrils have better mechanical properties than the individual macrofibres. Within their structure, small fibrils include more cellulose crystals, having a higher elastic modulus than fibres, which contribute to their increased strengths [1]. Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is cellulose fibril aggregates obtained through disintegration of the cell wall in cellulose fibres [2]. This paper compares the preparation of cellulose microand nanofibers obtained from hemp bast fibres and shives using steam explosion and high-intensity ultrasonication treatments The diameter of MFC fibrils is usually at the range of 10–100 nm and can be up to several micrometres in length, depending on the preparation methods and material source [3].
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