Preparation of cellulose nanofibrils from okara by high pressure homogenization method using deep eutectic solvents

The interest in the application of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a green solvent has increased rapidly. The application of DES in agro-industrial okara treatment can be developed into industrialization. In order to simplify the degreasing, deproteinization and cellulose extraction steps in the process of pretreating okara cellulose, a new approach to cellulose extraction from okara via one-pot DES treatment is established. Three different complexing agents, choline salts in oxalic acid, in glycerol and in urea are studied in this work. The structure and properties of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) prepared by high pressure homogenization following pretreatment of okara with anionic systhesized DES are investigated. The effects of different systems on the degree of microfibrillation of okara are analyzed using techniques such as SEM, FTIR, TD and DTG. The results indicate that by pretreating okara with choline chloride-oxalic acid type solvent, CNFs with average diameter of 27 nm are obtained using high pressure homogenization.