SUSTAINABLE METHOD TO PREPARE NANOCELLULOSE WITH ENHANCED STABILITY AND STRUCTURAL UNIFORMITY BY USING DEEP EUTECTIC SOLVENTS

Abstract

In this study, three different particle sizes of raw materials and four different acidities of deep eutectic solvents (DES) were used to prepare nanocellulose, aiming to find a combination that ensures high yield, good particle size distribution, stability, structural uniformity, and low energy consumption. The effect of DES acidity and feedstock particle size on the prepared nanocellulose was also discussed. The results showed that the greater the acidity of carboxylic acid DES, the smaller the effect of the raw material particle size variation on the yield, and the higher the yield of nanocellulose, the smaller its dimensions, the more uniform its particle size distribution, and the higher its crystallinity. The nanocellulose after this treatment also had carboxylation effects and different esterification due to the acidity differences of the deep eutectic solvent and the structural differences of raw materials. The nanocellulose obtained after these treatments had higher thermal decomposition response.