Optimum Production of Cellulose NanoCrystal from Cotton Stalk under Acidic Hydrolysis Condition

In the present study, preparation of cotton stalk (Sahel variety) as one of the common agricultural residues was studied through three stages as Soda-AQ chemical pulping, delignification and alkaline treatment, aiming for the production of cellulose nanocrystal. In order to identify the optimum condition for the preparation of cellulose nanocrystal, acidic hydrolysis of the produced alpha-cellulose was done using 64% sulfuric acid, 25, 35 and 45 minute as time and at 35, 45 and 55 degree centigrade as temperature. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-Ray Diffraction, and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) were used to identify the quantitative and qualitative properties of cellulose nanocrystals. AFM micrographs showed that more severe condition of the treatments decreased the thickness of the cellulose nanocrystals. XRD results also demonstrated that the preparation stages of alpha-cellulose as well as acidic hydrolysis treatments much effectively increased the degree of crystallinity. DLS results indicated that 98.7 percent of the produced nanocrystals under the condition of 55 degree centigrade and 45 minute were in the range of 18-95 ηm, whose highest abundance was in the range of 18-39 ηm. Thus, the mentioned condition were determined as the best and optimum condition for the production of cellulose nanocrystal from cotton stalk cellulose.