title: Achira as a source of biodegradable materials: Isolation and characterization of nanofibers.
abstract: In this study, variations in the delignification and bleaching stages, acid hydrolysis and high-pressure homogenization, led to the development of 12 different treatments applied for obtaining nanofibers using fibrous residues arising from the starch extraction process from the achira rhizomes. The treatments were evaluated based on some properties and characteristics of nanofibers such as: morphology and size (by means of transmission electron microscopy), surface charge (by means of zeta potential measurements), crystallinity index (by means of X-ray diffraction analysis) and functional groups (by means of infrared spectroscopy). In general, the nanofibers showed particle diameters between 13.8 and 37.2nm, length between 832.8 and 2223.8nm and high crystallinity index (57.5% and 69.8%) compared with achira fibrous residue (17.3%). The results evidenced that fibrous residue from achira rhizomes can be used as a source of biodegradable materials of commercial interest.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Ingeniería, Cra. 32 No. 12-00 Chapinero, Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Electronic address: mmandradem@unal.edu.co.
authors.forename: Margarita María
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Andrade-Mahecha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Technology, Food Engineering, University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri, CEP 39100-000, Diamantina, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Franciele Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Pelissari
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3.900, 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Delia Rita
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tapia-Blácido
authors.affiliation: Food Engineering Department - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Monteiro Lobato n° 80 - Barão Geraldo, 13083-862, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Florencia Cecilia
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Menegalli
mesh_terms: D006868:Hydrolysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011312:Pressure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013464:Sulfuric Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D013213:Starch; C033158:sulfuric acid
keywords: Achira; Biodegradable material; High-pressure treatment; Nanofibers