Characterization of nanocellulose recovery from Elaeis guineensis frond for sustainable development

As the demand towards nanocellulose increases day by day due to its excellent characteristics such as biodegradability, thermal stability and biocompatibility, Elaeis guineensis frond (oil palm frond, OPF) serves as a new promising renewable sources for sustainable nanocellulose production. Synthesis of nanocellulose from OPF was performed through three different chemical treatments including alkaline, bleaching and acid hydrolysis processes. Acid hydrolysis on commercialized Sigma cellulose was also performed in order to compare it with OPF nanocellulose. The chemical structure, crystallinity, suspension stability, particle size and morphology of the synthesized nanocellulose were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), particle size analyser with zeta potential, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). FTIR spectra after the chemical treatments showed the elimination of certain chemical groups of lignin and hemicellulose from raw OPF. XRD diffractograms revealed that OPF nanocellulose showed crystallinity improvement compared to OPF cellulose, while Sigma nanocellulose showed crystallinity deterioration against chemical treatments. From physical appearance, both nanocellulose specimens were stable in suspension form. OPF nanocellulose specimens were smaller in size compared to Sigma nanocellulose as shown in the results of particle size analyser, FESEM, TEM and AFM. All these results confirmed the production of nanocellulose, which was synthesized from OPF that have potential for sustainable development, includes ecology and economics.