Source Of Cellulose Research Articles

Potential of three woody species from the Brazilian Cerrado for pulp and paper production

The usage of vegetal fibers coming from the wood of planted forests as a source of cellulose for paper production, has placed Brazil in a prominent position in the worldwide economic scenario, being that one of the best alternatives of value aggregation to this natural material. This research has evaluated the potential of three woody species of occurrence in the Cerrado, a Brazilian Biome, as a source of alternative raw material to alien species, nowadays widely used in Brazil for the pulp and paper industry. Wood radial samples of Cedrela fissilis, Cecropia sp. and Genipa americana with 12 years of age were collected in a peri-urban are of the city of Goiânia, through the non-destructive method, for the study on fiber’s morphology and basic density. With the data obtained it was possible to determine the felting index, coefficient of flexibility, wall fraction and Runkel index, for fibers qualitative evaluation. The careful evaluation of the results – and the detailed comparison with other species – made it possible to affirm that only the wood of Cedrela fissilis and Cecropia sp. had had potential for the proposed objective. Therefore, relevant aspects for the complementation of this research are pointed.

Cassava microfiber-reinforced gelatin scaffold holds promise for tissue engineering by exhibiting cytocompatibility with HEK 293 cells.

Cellulose fiber-reinforced composite scaffolds have recently become an interesting target for biomedical and tissue engineering (TE) applications. Cassava bagasse, a fibrous solid residue obtained after the extraction of cassava starch and soluble sugars, has been explored as a potential source of cellulose and has been successfully used to enhance the mechanical properties of gelatin scaffolds for TE purposes. This study assessed the cytocompatibility of the cassava microfiber-gelatin composite scaffold using human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293) and a breast cancer cell line (MDA MB 231) under ISO 10993-5 standards. The viability of cells within the composite scaffold was analyzed through MTT assay. The growth of HEK 293, as well as the cell morphology, was not affected by the presence of cellulose within the composite, whereas the growth of breast cancer cells appeared to be inhibited with noticeable changes in cell morphology. These findings suggest that the presence of the cassava fiber in gelatin is not cytotoxic to HEK 293 cells. Thus, the composite is suitable for TE purposes when using normal cells. On the contrary, the presence of the fiber in gelatin elicited a cytotoxic effect in MDA MB 231 cells. Thus, the composite may not be considered for three-dimensional (3D) tumor cell studies requiring cancer cell growth. However, further studies are required to explore the use of the fiber from cassava bagasse for its anticancer cell properties, as observed in this study.

Effect of Cymbopogan citratus Fibre on Physical and Impact Properties of Thermoplastic Cassava Starch/Palm Wax Composites.

Cymbopogan citratus fibre (CCF) is an agricultural waste plant derived from a natural cellulosic source of fibre that can be used in various bio-material applications. This paper beneficially prepared thermoplastic cassava starch/palm wax blends incorporated with Cymbopogan citratus fibre (TCPS/PW/CCF) bio-composites at different CCF concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 wt%. In contrast, palm wax loading remained constant at 5 wt% concentration using the hot moulding compression method. TCPS/PW/CCF bio-composites were characterised in the present paper via their physical and impact properties. The addition of CCF significantly improved impact strength by 50.65% until 50 wt% CCF loading. Furthermore, it was observed that the inclusion of CCF resulted in a little decrement in biocomposite solubility compared to neat TPCS/PW biocomposite from 28.68% to 16.76%. Water absorption showed higher water resistance in the composites incorporating 60 wt.% fibre loading. The TPCS/PW/CCF biocomposites with different fibre contents had 11.04-5.65% moisture content, which was lower than the control biocomposite. The thickness of all samples decreased gradually with increasing fibre content. Overall, these findings provide evidence that CCF waste can be utilised as a high-quality filler in biocomposites due to its diverse characteristics, including improving the properties of biocomposites and strengthening their structural integrity.

Comparison of treatments for cellulose pulp from agro-industrial wastes from the Amazon region

Agroindustrial waste (AIW) is a potential source of cellulose, which can be obtained through different treatments. In this study, we evaluated four delignification treatments (10% sodium hydroxide, 50% ethanol, distilled water, and 25% Mohr's salt) to obtain cellulose pulp from four Amazonian AIWs (banana peel, cassava peel, sugarcane bagasse, and rice husk). Our results showed that sodium hydroxide treatment had the highest lignin removal and increased cellulose content, while Mohr's salt treatment had the lowest cellulose yield and lignin removal. Banana peel and rice husk had the highest cellulose yield, while cassava peel had the lowest. Distilled water treatment at medium temperature had similar lignin removal and cellulose yield to the sodium hydroxide and ethanol treatments. Our findings suggest that AIWs have great potential as a source of cellulose and that these economical, simple, and eco-friendly treatments can be used to obtain high-purity cellulose from AIWs.

Nanocellulose-Based Thermoplastic Polyurethane Biocomposites with Shape Memory Effect

In 2020, we published a review on the study of semi-crystalline thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers and composites based on the shape memory effect. The shape recovery ability of such polymers is determined by their sensitivity to temperature, moisture, and magnetic or electric fields, which in turn are dependent on the chemical properties and composition of the matrix and the nanofiller. Nanocellulose is a type of nanomaterial with high strength, high specific surface area and high surface energy. Additionally, it is nontoxic, biocompatible, environmentally friendly, and can be extracted from biomass resources. Thanks to these properties, nanocellulose can be used to enhance the mechanical properties of polymer matrices with shape memory effect and as a switching element of shape memory. This review discusses the methods for producing and properties of nanocellulose-based thermo-, moisture-, and pH-sensitive polyurethane composites. The synergistic effect of nanocellulose and carbon nanofillers and possible applications of nanocellulose-based thermoplastic polyurethane biocomposites with shape memory effect are discussed. A brief description of nanocellulose terminology is also given, along with the structure of shape memory thermoplastic polyurethanes. There is significant interest in such materials for three primary reasons: the possibility of creating a new generation of biomaterials, improving the environmental friendliness of existing materials, and exploiting the natural renewability of cellulose sources.

Extraction of Pectin and Cellulose from Grapefruit Peels and Production of Carboxymethyl Cellulose

The peels of grapefruit are a rich source of Pectin and Cellulose. This study focuses on the extraction of Pectin and Cellulose from grapefruit peels, and the production of carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) from extracted products. Firstly, the extraction conditions of Pectin from grapefruit peels were optimized to obtain a high yield of Pectins such as extraction time and citric acid concentration. The weight, purity, and esterification degree of Pectin were also determined. The highest yield of Pectin is 32.12% in the extraction conditions with pH 1.25 for 60 minutes at 80 oC. The Pectin product is of 84.02% purity at 29,427 g/mol of weight with 86.40% esterification degree. For extraction of Cellulose from grapefruit peels, the highest yield of Cellulose is 45.08% in the conditions with a pH of nitric acid 0.75 for 70 minutes at 90 oC. After that, the extracted Cellulose was converted to Carboxymethyl Cellulose by Monochloroacetic acid etherification. The characterization of Pectin, Cellulose, and CMC is determined through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Infrared spectrums. The experimental results also showed that Pectin and Cellulose were successfully extracted from grapefruit peels and Carboxymethyl Cellulose was successfully produced from the extracted Cellulose.

Physicochemical Characterization of Cellulose and Microcrystalline Cellulose from Cordia africana Lam. Seeds

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore Cordia africana seeds as an alternative source of cellulose and MCC due to depletion of the major commercial sources such as wood pulp, and cotton. Cellulose was extracted from Cordia africana seeds employing a chlorine-free treatment approach, followed by partial depolymerization using acid hydrolysis to obtain microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). The untreated seeds, as-extracted cellulose, and MCC were investigated for yield, chemical composition, functionality, crystallinity, morphology, diameter, and thermal stability. The cellulose content increased from 30% (w/w) in the untreated seeds to 80.2% (w/w) in cellulose and 88.1% (w/w) in the MCC. The removal of non-cellulosic constituents was confirmed by the results obtained from Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG). The crystallinity index of as-obtained cellulose and MCC increased from 32.38% (untreated seeds) to 68.28 (cellulose) and 73.19% (MCC) with chemical treatments. The extracted samples exhibited characteristic peaks of Cellulose I at around 15°, 16°, 22°, and 34°. Th e TGA/DTG results confirmed the cellulose and MCC had higher thermal stability than the untreated seeds. This study shows that cellulose and MCC can be obtained from unexploited source, Cordia africana seeds, for promising applications in various industries.

Bacterial cellulose aerogel enriched in nanofibers obtained from Kombucha SCOBY byproduct

Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY) pellicle is a by-product of Kombucha tea fermentation that can be a cheap and fast-growing source of cellulose. SCOBY develops a 3D cellulose membrane on the surface of Kombucha tea and since its microstructure can be chemically modified, it has promising applications in the development of biocomposites. This study presents a simple procedure to transform Kombucha SCOBY membranes into cellulose nanofiber aerogels. The protocol consisted in an alkaline purification followed by an acidic hydrolysis and lyophilization. The obtained nanofibers presented thickness than ranged principally between 50 and 110 nm, good crystallinity (90%) and thermal stability (343 ºC). The simplicity of this nanofiber aerogel protocol may contribute to the development of nano-scale materials giving higher value to this by-product that generally is composted. Furthers studies should be addressed to test this nanocellulose fibers combined with other polymers for the development of eco-friendly composites.

Integrated Biobased Processes for Nanocellulose Preparation from Rice Straw Cellulose

High-potential nanomaterials were derived from rice straw using the integrated biobased processes of enzymatic hydrolysis with green organic acid hydrolysis assisted with ultrasonication pretreatment. The optimization condition of nanocellulose preparation by enzymatic hydrolysis via central composite design (CCD) achieved a maximum nanocellulose content of 32.37 ± 0.47% using a cellulase concentration of 107.06 U/mL and 0.13% (w/w) of rice straw cellulose. The ultrasonication-assisted pretreatment prior to enzymatic hydrolysis improved nanocellulose preparation to 52.28 ± 1.55%. Integration with oxalic acid hydrolysis increased the nanocellulose content to 64.99 ± 0.16%. Granular nanocellulose was obtained and consisted of a 105–825 nm nanosize with a zeta potential value of −34.5 mV, and nanocellulose suspension showed high stability without aggregation. In addition, the remaining rice straw cellulose after oxalic acid was microcrystalline nanocellulose. All prepared nanocellulose represented a functional group as original cellulose but had a low crystallinity index (CrI) of 15.68% that could be classified as amorphous nanocellulose. Based on their characteristics, all nanocellose could be further applied in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the results indicated that the rice straw could be an alternative non-edible cellulose source for preparing potential nanocellulose via a controlled hydrolysis process.

Effect of Process Variables on the Development and Characterization of Nanocellulose as Novel Biopolymer

Abstract: Nanocellulose has excellent mechanical, physical, and biological properties; it is an ideal material for many applications. The present study aimed to develop nanocellulose from cellulose by hydrolyzing with sulphuric acid to yield nanocellulose. In order to prepare nanocellulose, two factors were considered: the concentration of sulphuric acid and the variation in temperature (AHNC1 to AHNC5). Optimized NC was characterized by its size, zeta potential, TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. NCs had a size range between 134 to 644 nm. AHNC4 and AHNC5 showed respective Zeta potentials of -40.6 and -37.4. XRD diffractograms showed crystallinity indices in the 55-66% range. The TEM showed that the nanocellulose was semicrystalline. FT-IR measurement showed a peak at 1177 cm-1 due to O-H association bond of nanocellulose, which is similar to cellulose's peak. This work analyzed that the nanocellulose preparation involves the optimization process to get the desired size of particles by altering process parameters in the acid hydrolysis method like concentration of acid and temperature maintained during the reaction, which depend on the source of cellulose used in the development of nanocellulose. Keywords: Nanocellulose, Acid hydrolysis, CNC, CNF, Nanocrystals.

Cell-specific clock-controlled gene expression program regulates rhythmic fiber cell growth in cotton

BackgroundThe epidermis of cotton ovule produces fibers, the most important natural cellulose source for the global textile industry. However, the molecular mechanism of fiber cell growth is still poorly understood.ResultsHere, we develop an optimized protoplasting method, and integrate single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell ATAC sequencing (scATAC-seq) to systematically characterize the cells of the outer integument of ovules from wild type and fuzzless/lintless (fl) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). By jointly analyzing the scRNA-seq data from wildtype and fl, we identify five cell populations including the fiber cell type and construct the development trajectory for fiber lineage cells. Interestingly, by time-course diurnal transcriptomic analysis, we demonstrate that the primary growth of fiber cells is a highly regulated circadian rhythmic process. Moreover, we identify a small peptide GhRALF1 that circadian rhythmically controls fiber growth possibly through oscillating auxin signaling and proton pump activity in the plasma membrane. Combining with scATAC-seq, we further identify two cardinal cis-regulatory elements (CREs, TCP motif, and TCP-like motif) which are bound by the trans factors GhTCP14s to modulate the circadian rhythmic metabolism of mitochondria and protein translation through regulating approximately one third of genes that are highly expressed in fiber cells.ConclusionsWe uncover a fiber-specific circadian clock-controlled gene expression program in regulating fiber growth. This study unprecedentedly reveals a new route to improve fiber traits by engineering the circadian clock of fiber cells.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN GAMMA AND ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATED SUGARCANE BAGASSE

"Sugarcane bagasse is an abundant source of cellulose and hemicelluloses that could be hydrolyzed to yield fermentable sugars, which can be utilized for the production of biofuel and other high-value bio-chemicals. To do so, it has to be made accessible for hydrolyzing chemicals and enzymes, and radiation exposure is one of the most effective and green techniques, among other physico-chemical processes. The present study investigated the effects of gamma and electron beam (e-beam) irradiation on sugarcane bagasse, with respect to changes in its physical, chemical, thermal and morphological characteristics. Sugarcane bagasse was irradiated with gamma radiation, using Co60 at a dose rate of 2.5 kGy/h, and electron beam at a dose rate of 2.5 kGy/pass. The maximum dose was varied up to 1000 kGy and changes in the physico-chemical characteristics of bagasse were observed at 500 kGy dose exposure. The physical appearance of bagasse (after gamma and e-beam treatments) changed from off-white to yellow in colour, while beyond 500 kGy, the samples became fluffy. With an increase in the radiation dose, the cellulose content reduced from 48% to 36%, following Co60 gamma exposure, and to 16% after e-beam exposure at 1000 kGy. The hemicellulose content was found to reduce from 31% to 16% after 1000 kGy of Co60 gamma exposure, but after e-beam radiation, it increased to 39%. The lignin fraction did not change much after any of the treatments, and was found to be in the range of 19-20% and 17-23%, after gamma and e-beam radiation exposure, respectively. In most of the irradiated samples, X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed a significant increase in crystallinity index with the increase in the radiation dose up to 1000 kGy. However, a decrease in the crystallinity index of bagasse was observed after e-beam irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed remarkable disruption of the structure, caused by high energy irradiations (gamma and e-beam). The particle size analysis indicated fragmented particles on increasing irradiation doses, but the distribution is more prominent in the case of the e-beam treatment. A lowering of the derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) peak from 339 °C in raw bagasse to 295 °C and 303 °C, for the samples subjected to gamma and e-beam radiation, respectively, was observed, in the thermal study of the biomass. The physico-chemical changes observed during the study clearly indicated that ionizing radiation exposure of lignocellulosic biomass led to the disintegration of its matrix, which may give easy access to hydrolytic chemicals or enzymes. Thus, it can be concluded that, although both ionizing radiations investigated here can fulfill the objective of disintegrating the biomass structure, gamma is more effective than e-beam radiation."

Morphology and Dispersion Stability of Nanocellulose Extracted from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fibre by High-Pressure Homogenization

This paper aims to study the morphology and dispersion stability of nanocellulose extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) fibre by high-pressure homogenization method. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) from EFB fibre was hydrolysed using sulphuric acid, followed by high-pressure homogenization, to produce nanocellulose. The isolated MCC and nanocellulose was characterized for their microstructure and stability of the particles. Observation with SEM showed that diameter size of MCC from OPEFB were decreased along with the length of the fibres as the concentration of sulphuric acid increased. While the effects of homogenization cycles on the morphology of the obtained nanocelluloses were observed using FESEM. Overall results revealed that an addition of cycle numbers has shown a reduction in diameter size and substantial breakdown of the cell walls of the nanocellulose. In contrast, for the stability test, the MCCs and NCs particles' stability and dispersibility were dependent on the electrostatic interactions, which helped to maintain a more stable suspension. Therefore, combining the chemical and mechanical processes can successfully pave the way for the production of high added-value nanocellulose from a variety of cellulosic sources and has a good potential for nanocellulose production in Malaysia.

Electrochemical Characterization of Charge Storage at Anodes for Sodium‐Ion Batteries Based on Corncob Waste‐Derived Hard Carbon and Binder

AbstractSodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) represent a potential alternative to lithium‐ion batteries in large‐scale energy storage applications. To improve the sustainability of SIBs, the utilization of anode carbonaceous materials produced from biomass and the selection of a bio‐based binder allowing an aqueous electrode processing are fundamental. Herein, corncobs are used as raw material for the preparation of hard carbon and it is also used as cellulose sources for the synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) binder. The corncob‐derived electrodes deliver a high discharge capacity of around 264 mAhg−1 at 1 C (300 mAg−1), with promising capacity retention (84 % after 100 cycles) and good rate capability. Additionally, this work expands the fundamental insight of the sodium storage behavior of Hard Carbons through an electrochemical approach, suggesting that the reaction mechanism is controlled by capacitive process in the sloping voltage region, while the diffusion‐controlled intercalation is the predominant process in the low‐voltage plateau.

Antibacterial Activity of Ulva/Nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/Cellulose Nanocomposites and Both Blended with Fluoride against Bacteria Causing Dental Decay.

One of the most prevalent chronic infectious disorders is tooth decay. Acids produced when plaque bacteria break down sugar in the mouth cause tooth decay. Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus are the most prominent species related to dental caries. Innovative biocidal agents that integrate with a biomaterial to prevent bacterial colonization have shown remarkable promise as a result of the rapid advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this study, Ulva lactuca was used as a cellulose source and reducing agent to synthesize nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites. The characterizations of nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites were tested for FT-IR, TEM, SEM, EDS, XRD, and zeta potential. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and Ulva/nanocellulose, both blended with fluoride, were tested as an antibacterial against S. mutans ATCC 25175 and L. acidophilus CH-2. The results of the SEM proved that nanocellulose is filament-shaped, and FT-IR proved that the functional groups of Ulva/nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and cellulose are relatively similar but present some small diffusion in peaks. The TEM image demonstrated that the more piratical size distribution of Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites ranged from 15 to 20 nm, and Ulva/nanocellulose ranged from 10 to 15 nm. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites have higher negativity than Ulva/nanocellulose. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and Ulva/nanocellulose possess antibacterial activity against S. mutans ATCC 25175 and L. acidophilus CH-2, but Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites are more effective, followed by that blended with fluoride. It is possible to use Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites as an antimicrobial agent when added to toothpaste. It is promising to discover an economic and safe nanocomposite product from a natural source with an antimicrobial agent that might be used against tooth bacteria.

Effects of different sources of cellulose on mechanical and barrier properties of thermoplastic sweet potato starch films

Sweet potato starch and different celluloses were mixed by thermoplastic extrusion and then thermoplastic starch/cellulose composite films were prepared using a casting method. The effect of different celluloses on the mechanical and barrier properties of thermoplastic sweet potato starch films were studied and compared. The results indicated that among thermoplastic starch/cellulose composite films, the hydrogen bond interaction between starch and sugarcane cellulose was more obvious and the crystallization melting temperature difference was smaller, indicating better compatibility between sugarcane cellulose and sweet potato starch. Thermoplastic starch/sugarcane cellulose film had the largest FTIR ratio values of 1047 cm−1/1022 cm−1, resulting in the highest tensile strength (3.75 MPa), largest contact angle (68.44°), or stronger surface hydrophobicity. Thermoplastic starch/cornstalk cellulose film had the highest thermal degradation temperature (325 °C). Thermoplastic starch/wheat or bamboo cellulose film had lower UV transmittance (about 36%), indicating stronger UV Resistance. Thermoplastic starch/rice bran cellulose film had the largest elongation at break value (49.03%). Thermoplastic starch/bamboo or cornstalk cellulose films had lower water vapor permeability, whereas thermoplastic starch/rice bran cellulose had higher water vapor permeability. The outcoming would provide a new theoretical basis for choosing an optimal cellulose compatible with thermoplastic sweet potato starch to enhance mechanical properties, water resistance and barrier property of thermoplastic starch films.

An Attempt to Restore the Fertility of Miscanthus × giganteus

Miscanthus × giganteus is a popular industrial plant with great potential in ecological agriculture. It forms numerous rhizomes that are important in the sequestration of carbon dioxide. The plant can be a source of lignin and cellulose, biomass for renewable energy production, and can be used in small garden architecture, or to strengthen the banks of landslides. Breeding this species is difficult, as it is a sterile allotriploid with 57 chromosomes. The aim of the study was to obtain fertile plants of this species by treating its callus and regenerants with chromosome doubling agents such as colchicine, oryzalin, trifluralin, and caffeine at variable concentrations and durations. Callus cells naturally showed large variations in the number of chromosomes but only euploid cells regenerated plants. Treatment of the regenerants with 1252 µM colchicine for 18 h allowed for obtaining two hexaploid shoots; however, they died before flowering. Colchicine and oryzalin stimulated the formation of mixoploid shoots. The investigated substances, except for caffeine, were highly toxic to plants. M. × giganteus plants with 114 chromosomes may die because such a high number of chromosomes may be unfavorable for cells of this species.

Small-scale OrganoCat processing to screen rapeseed straw for efficient lignocellulose fractionation

Agricultural residues such as rapeseed straw can be a valuable source of cellulose, sugars, and aromatic molecules like lignin. Understanding its composition is crucial in order to develop suitable processing technology for the production of biofuel or biochemicals from rapeseed straw. Here, we developed a small-scale OrganoCat system to screen multiple technical conditions and different samples at higher throughput and utilize this system to analyze straw samples from a set of 14 genetically different Brassica lines on their processability. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the effects of cell wall polymer features on rapeseed biomass disintegration. At comparably mild reaction conditions, the differences in recalcitrance towards OrganoCat fractionation within the set were especially associated with parameters such as pectic polysaccharide content, acetylation, and hemicellulose composition. These findings can subsequently be used to optimize and scale up the pretreatment and fractionation of lignocellulose derived from rapeseed straw.

Hydrophobic modification of cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch: Characterization and application in Pickering emulsions stabilization

Isolation and hydrophobic modification of cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) and its capacity to act as Pickering emulsion stabilizer was studied. The isolated cellulose was hydrophobically functionalized with acid chloride (benzoyl chloride) in aqueous medium. Proximate analysis indicated that oil palm empty fruit bunch is a valuable source of hemicellulose and cellulose. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed crystallinity index (CrI) of isolated cellulose (CB) and benzoylated cellulose (MCB) to be 66.12% and 61.38% respectively. Both Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermogravimetric (DTG) showed that thermal stability of MCB is higher than CB. The aqueous modification method would mitigate problems of environmental challenges often encountered in non-aqueous methods of cellulose modification. Pickering emulsions stabilized by the benzoylated cellulose (MCB) derivatives are stable, more importantly at higher particles concentrations. The improved properties of modified cellulose (MCB) derivatives recorded in this study and resistance of Pickering emulsions to coalescence showed that MCB is a potential material for formulation of food, drug delivery and pharmaceuticals products.

Medicinal plants as a cellulose source for the fabrication of poly(lactic acid) composites: A mini-review

More recently, natural polymers produced by living organisms have received considerable attention due to their unique properties such as eco-friendliness, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. These polymers possess similar properties to conventional plastics, making them suitable potential plastic substitutes for sustainable development and conservation of finite oil resources. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is comparable to commonly used plastics but is inferior, thus limited applications. However, PLA can benefit from the incorporation of various polymer components with complementary properties to yield improved physical properties. The fabrication of fully bio-based nanocomposites such as that of PLA and cellulose is of particular interest to research scientists. Incorporating organic fillers such as nanocellulose in a PLA matrix gives rise to improved composite properties. Because plant cell walls comprise semicrystalline cellulose molecules embedded in matrices, the crystalline portion of the stiff chains extracted from medicinal plants is currently exploited for potential filler roles. In this review, the use of medicinal plants in bio-based composite applications is covered. Several medicinal plants as sources of cellulose, different cellulose extraction methods, as well as the resulting fiber properties, are discussed. Although tremendous progress has been made in developing biocomposites, a lot of research still needs to be carried out.