Valorization of Biomass Pulping Waste as Effective Additive for Enhancing the Performance of Films Based on Liquid Crystal Hydroxypropyl-Cellulose Nanocomposites

Utilization of wastes from some biomass-based industries in production of nanomaterials is vital in the green chemistry field. This work deals with valorization of lignin from paper making by-product for synthesizing lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) and evaluating its role on performance of film made from liquid crystal hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), in comparison with-different carbon nanoallotropes. In this respect LNPs, graphene oxide and bagasse-based carbon quantum dots and carbon oxide were synthesized and incorporated with HPC during film formation. The effective behavior of LNPs, especially that produced from using highly polar solvent, on performance of HPC film was evidenced, from examiningpolarized light microscope together with TEM, SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA as well as mechanical tests. The results showed that LNPs provided the HPC-nanocomposite film with acceptable thermal stability and mechanical properties, together with distinct complex mixed colorful texture, lines nearly like Grandjean-Cano lines aligned (PO images) and the planar layered morphology.

Automated summary

This study focuses on utilizing lignin from paper making by-product to synthesize lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) and evaluates their impact on the performance of liquid crystal hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) film. LNPs, especially those produced from highly polar solvents, were found to significantly influence the properties of the HPC film, providing it with good thermal stability and mechanical properties.