Facile preparation of cellulose nanofibers prepared by TEMPO-mediated oxidation

Abstract

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with width of 20 nm and lengths of up to several μm were fully disintegrated from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) with aids of the 2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation and mild-mechanical treatment. TEMPO-oxidized CNFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FTIR reveals the conversion of C-6 hydroxyl groups to sodium carboxylate groups, and lower thermal degradation was obtained from the TEMPO-oxidized CNFs in comparison to untreated cellulose fibers. The as-prepared TEMPO-oxidized CNFs might be possibly used in packaging and composite applications.