2. Natural Cellulose Fibers from Corn Stover

Corn or maize is the second largest agricultural crop grown in the world, second only to sugarcane with 875 million tons produced in the world in 2012. Cultivation of corn generates stover (stalk, leaves, and husk) as by-product that has been considered for a variety of uses. In developed countries such as the United States, the recent efforts on producing cellulosic biofuels from biomass have led to the use of corn stover as feedstock for cellulosic ethanol. However, substantial quantities of corn stover are still left unused and are available for industrial use at low cost. Currently, a ton of corn stover baled and ready to be shipped is estimated to cost about $40–$50, making stover one of the cheapest lignocellulosic sources. Corn stover typically consists of about 50 % stalk, 23 % leaves, 15 % cobs, and 14 % husk. The stalks consist of an inner pith and outer rind which is the source for fibers. Cornhusks (ears, shucks) are fibrous structures that can be up to 20 cm in length and have been traditionally used for decoration, food wrapping, and other applications.