Production of nanocrystalline cellulose from bleached soda bagasse pulp

The cellulose used in this study was prepared from bleached soda bagasse obtained from the Pars paper factory. To prepare nanocellulose, the sample was subjected to alkaline pretreatment and then acid hydrolysis using 54% sulfuric acid at several temperatures (35, 50, 60, and 65 °C) and different times (30, 60, 90, and 120 min). Then, they were prepared using a centrifuge, dialysis bag, ultrasound, and freezer, respectively. The produced nanocellulose was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to the results, temperatures of 50 and 90 °C were selected for the preparation of nanocellulose. The crystallization index of the hydrolyzed pulp and produced nanocellulose was 53 and 61%, respectively. The produced nanocellulose had a fibrillar shape.