Micro- and nano-structures of cellulose from eggplant plant (Solanum melongena L) agricultural residue

Adil Bahloul; Zineb Kassab; Mehdi El Bouchti; Hassan Hannache; Abou El Kacem Qaiss; Mina Oumam; Mounir El Achaby

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117311

Micro- and nano-structures of cellulose from eggplant plant (Solanum melongena L) agricultural residue

Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Feb 1:253:117311. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117311. Epub 2020 Oct 25.

Authors

Adil Bahloul¹, Zineb Kassab², Mehdi El Bouchti³, Hassan Hannache⁴, Abou El Kacem Qaiss⁵, Mina Oumam¹, Mounir El Achaby⁶

Affiliations

¹ Laboratoire d'Ingénierie et Matériaux, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'sik, Université Hassan II de Casablanca, B.P.7955, Casablanca, Morocco.
² Materials Science and Nano-engineering Department, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660 - Hay Moulay Rachid, 43150, Ben Guerir, Morocco. Electronic address: zineb.kassab@um6p.ma.
³ Laboratory REMTEX, Hight School of Textile and Clothing Industries, km 8, Route d'El Jadida, B.P. 7731, Oulfa, Casablanca, Morocco.
⁴ Laboratoire d'Ingénierie et Matériaux, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'sik, Université Hassan II de Casablanca, B.P.7955, Casablanca, Morocco; Materials Science and Nano-engineering Department, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660 - Hay Moulay Rachid, 43150, Ben Guerir, Morocco.
⁵ Composites and Nanocomposites Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research, Rabat Design Center, Rue Mohamed El Jazouli, Madinat El Irfane, 10100, Rabat, Morocco.
⁶ Materials Science and Nano-engineering Department, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660 - Hay Moulay Rachid, 43150, Ben Guerir, Morocco. Electronic address: mounir.elachaby@um6p.ma.

PMID: 33278959
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117311

Abstract

Currently, agriculture sector produces enormous quantity of residues, creating severe environmental problems. These agricultural residues are rich in lignocellulosic fibers, making them sustainable sources to produce high added-value materials. This investigation aims to transform the eggplant plant residue (EPR) into purified cellulose microfibers (CMF) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). CMF with a yield of 54 %, diameter of 13.6 μm and crystallinity of 71 % were successfully obtained from raw EPR using alkali and bleaching treatments. By subjecting CMF to phosphoric and sulfuric acid hydrolysis, phosphorylated (P-CNC) and sulfated (S-CNC) were produced. P-CNC and S-CNC exhibited an aspect ratio of 89.4 and 74.2, zeta potential value of - 39.4 and - 28.7 mV, surface charge density of 116.7 and 218.2 mmol/kg cellulose and a crystallinity of 73 % and 80 %, respectively. Herein, the obtained cellulosic structures with excellent properties could be used in various applications, such as bio-derived fillers for polymer composites development.

Keywords: Acid hydrolysis; Agricultural residues; Cellulose microfibers; Cellulose nanocrystals; Eggplant.