Efficiency of Cellulose Carbonates to Produce Cellulose Nanofibers

In this study, an innovative and green process to produce cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) is proposed. CNFs are usually produced via mechanical, enzymatic, and/or chemical treatment such as (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation of cellulose fibers, but for now this method involves high energy consumption, which limits the commercialization of the CNF. Moreover, an expensive effluent treatment system is required to complete the CNF manufacturing process. In this context, a novel process using a green method was developed to improve CNF production. The cellulose, sourced from eucalyptus, was modified by adding dimethyl carbonate (DMC), in ethanolic potassium hydroxide medium. The effect of reaction temperature was evaluated (4, 25, and 40 °C), and the obtained cellulose carbonate was characterized by several techniques including 13C cross-polarized magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After the chemical step, CNF was manufactured with a Supermasscolloider ultrafine friction grinder. The resultant CNF suspension was characterized in terms of fibrillation yield, transparency, rheological behavior, morphological features, and quality index. This novel chemical approach for the production of CNF seems to hold promises not only for its green features but also for its lesser and cleaner effluent discharge and low cost of reagents.