title: A comparative study on properties of micro and nanopapers produced from cellulose and cellulose nanofibres.
abstract: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) were successfully extracted from cellulose obtained from maize stalk residues. A variety of techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used for characterization and the experimental results showed that lignin and hemicellulose were removed to a greater extent by following the chemical methods. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results confirmed that the diameters of CNCs and CNFs were ranging from 3 to 7 nm and 4 to 10nm, respectively, with their lengths in micro scale. CNCs suspension showed a flow of birefringence, however, the same was not observed in the case of suspension containing CNFs. XRD analysis confirmed that CNCs had high crystallinity index in comparison to cellulose and CNFs. Nanopapers were prepared from CNCs and CNFs by solvent evaporation method. Micropapers were also prepared from cellulose pulp by the same technique. Nanopapers made from CNFs showed less transparency as compared to nanopapers produced from CNCs whereas high transparency as compared to micropaper. Nanopapers produced from CNFs provided superior mechanical properties as compared to both micropaper and nanopapers produced from CNCs. Also, nanopapers produced from CNFs were thermally more stable as compared to nanopapers produced from CNCs but thermally less stable as compared to micropapers.
authors.affiliation: CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Polymers and Composites Competence Area, Nonwovens and Composites Research Group, PO Box 1124, 4 Gomery Avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa; Department of Textile Science, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa. Electronic address: mtibe.asanda@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mtibe
authors.affiliation: CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Polymers and Composites Competence Area, Nonwovens and Composites Research Group, PO Box 1124, 4 Gomery Avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa. Electronic address: LLinganiso@csir.co.za.
authors.forename: Linda Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Linganiso
authors.affiliation: Division of Manufacturing and Design of Wood and Bionanocomposites, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Aji P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.affiliation: Division of Manufacturing and Design of Wood and Bionanocomposites, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oksman
authors.affiliation: CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Polymers and Composites Competence Area, Nonwovens and Composites Research Group, PO Box 1124, 4 Gomery Avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa; Department of Textile Science, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Maya J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Polymers and Composites Competence Area, Nonwovens and Composites Research Group, PO Box 1124, 4 Gomery Avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa; Department of Textile Science, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa.
authors.forename: Rajesh D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Anandjiwala
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose
keywords: Cellulose nanocrystals; Cellulose nanofibres; Cellulose nanopapers; Maize stalk residues; Micropapers; Sodium chlorite (PubChem CID: 23668197); Sodium hydroxide (PubChem CID: 14797); Sodium hydroxide (PubChem CID: 14798); Sulphuric acid (PubChem CID: 1118)