Mandacaru cactus as a source of nanofibrillated cellulose for nanopaper production

Abstract

In this work, nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) was extracted from cactus Cereus jamacaru DC. (mandacaru) for nanopaper production. The technique adopted includes alkaline treatment, bleaching, and grinding treatment. The NFC was characterized according to its properties and scored based on a quality index. Particle homogeneity, turbidity, and microstructure of the suspensions were evaluated. Correspondingly, the optical and physical-mechanical properties of the nanopapers were investigated. The chemical constituents of the material were analyzed. The sedimentation test and the zeta potential analyzed the stability of the NFC suspension. The morphological investigation was performed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that Mandacaru NFC has high crystallinity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and mechanical analysis were also used and revealed good thermal stability and good mechanical properties of the material. Therefore, the application of mandacaru is interesting in sectors such as packaging and electronic device development, as well as in composite materials. Given its score of 72 points on a quality index, this material was presented as an attractive, facile, and innovative source for obtaining NFC.

Keywords: Biopolymers; Cellulose nanofibrils; Cereus jamacaru DC; Nanotechnology; Natural fibers.