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Isolation of Nanocellulosic Fibrils from Allium cepa L. Skin Biowaste Food Residues: Extraction and Characterization

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Abstract

Biowaste obtained as remains after food processing has remained one of the underutilized sources of value-added products. Extracting valuable constituents from it helps minimize the waste disposal problem along with the added advantage of deriving useful material for various applications. Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) attracted significant attention due to its nanosize, ease of manufacture, low cost, adjustable surface properties, and improved mechanical properties to be extensively applicable in films, coatings, paints, foams and packaging. The study aims to extract CNF from food residues of onion skin using chlorination and alkali extraction processes. The extracted cellulose nanofibers were extensively characterized to determine their structure and properties. The presence of 43.4% of cellulose with lesser content of hemicelluloses (15.1%) and lignin (39.3%) indicated it to be a suitable source for CNF extraction. The purity of the obtained material was assured by indicating the peaks at 2907 cm−1, confirming the presence of stretching vibration of C–H elongation of the –CH2 functional group. Acid hydrolysis treatment of cellulosic microfiber was used to reduce the particle size from 10.61 µm to 100.49 nm, thereby increasing the specific surface area and pore volume from 59.97 to 118.62 m2/g and 0.186 to 0.432 cc/g, respectively. The TGA graph indicated a higher percentage (30%) of CNF content degrading at a higher temperature of 320 °C. TEM images depict that the fibers were in the form of fibrils with very low clusters formation. The obtained nanofiber can be efficiently used as a membrane for gas barrier application and as fillers in biocomposites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Brainware University, Barasat, West Bengal, 700125, India

    Deepshikha Datta

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam, 532127, India

    Divakar Pamanji

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, 713209, India

    Bimal Das

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  1. Deepshikha Datta
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Datta, D., Pamanji, D. & Das, B. Isolation of Nanocellulosic Fibrils from Allium cepa L. Skin Biowaste Food Residues: Extraction and Characterization. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. E 104, 141–151 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40034-022-00259-z

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