Isolation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber using acid hydrolysis

Ensete ventricosum (false banana) is a common food source for a considerable section of Ethiopia's population in the central, southern, and southwestern areas. Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber is a type of agro-industrial waste that is widely available across the country. It has a limited number of known conventional applications and merits further investigations. One of the activities that prompted the completion of this study was the upgrading of Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber to value-added products such as cellulose nanocrystals. The goal of this study was to extract cellulose nanocrystals from Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber using sulfuric acid hydrolysis. An acid-catalyzed reaction technique using 1:20 mL cellulose to H2SO4 (51.1%) ratio and hydrolysis period of 52 min at 51 degrees C reaction conditions was used to separate cellulose nanocrystals from Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber cellulose. Thermal stability, crystallinity, surface charge, shape, size, and functional changes were all assessed in the cellulose nanocrystals that resulted. It had a better crystallinity index (78.0%), an average particle size of 66.7 nm, a yield of 39.78%, good thermal stability (> 300 degrees C), and a morphologically comparable rod-shaped structure. As a result, it is feasible to conclude that Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fiber offers a lot of potential for isolating cellulose nanocrystals for various applications.

Automated summary

Ensete ventricosum, a common food source in Ethiopia, has the potential to be used for extracting cellulose nanocrystals, which can have various applications.