Study of green nanocomposites based on corn starch and cellulose nanofibrils from Agave tequilana Weber

María Guadalupe Lomelí-Ramírez; Edgar Mario Valdez-Fausto; Maite Rentería-Urquiza; Rosa María Jiménez-Amezcua; José Anzaldo Hernández; Jose Guillermo Torres-Rendon; Salvador García Enriquez

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.08.045

Study of green nanocomposites based on corn starch and cellulose nanofibrils from Agave tequilana Weber

Carbohydr Polym. 2018 Dec 1:201:9-19. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.08.045. Epub 2018 Aug 11.

Authors

María Guadalupe Lomelí-Ramírez¹, Edgar Mario Valdez-Fausto², Maite Rentería-Urquiza³, Rosa María Jiménez-Amezcua⁴, José Anzaldo Hernández⁵, Jose Guillermo Torres-Rendon⁶, Salvador García Enriquez⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, km 15.5 at the Guadalajara-Nogales Highway, Postal Code 45220, Zapopan, Mexico. Electronic address: glomeli@dmcyp.cucei.udg.mx.
² Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, km 15.5 at the Guadalajara-Nogales Highway, Postal Code 45220, Zapopan, Mexico. Electronic address: valdezfausto.m@hotmail.com.
³ Department of Chemistry, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, Marcelino Garcia Barragan street, Number 1451, Postal Code 44430, Guadalajara, Mexico. Electronic address: reurmaite@yahoo.es.
⁴ Department of Engineering Chemical, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, Marcelino Garcia Barragan Street, Number 1451, Postal Code 44430, Guadalajara, Mexico. Electronic address: rosamjimenez@hotmail.com.
⁵ Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, km 15.5 at the Guadalajara-Nogales Highway, Postal Code 45220, Zapopan, Mexico. Electronic address: janzaldo@dmcyp.cucei.udg.mx.
⁶ Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, km 15.5 at the Guadalajara-Nogales Highway, Postal Code 45220, Zapopan, Mexico. Electronic address: jose.torres@academicos.udg.mx.
⁷ Department of Wood, Cellulose and Paper, University Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering, University of Guadalajara, km 15.5 at the Guadalajara-Nogales Highway, Postal Code 45220, Zapopan, Mexico. Electronic address: salvador.garciae@cucei.udg.mx.

PMID: 30241867
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.08.045

Abstract

Global environmental pollution issues caused by synthetic materials and the lack of practical utilization of the local industrial lignocellulosic waste, force Mexican researchers to produce new biobased sustainable materials that use industrial waste as a source of components. Herein, we show the preparation and characterization of environmentally friendly starch-based nanocomposites reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) extracted from Agave tequilana Weber. Tensile, bending and impact mechanical properties of dried and hydrated nanocomposites were studied. Moreover, the water absorption capacity of the nanocomposites were measured and evaluated. The mechanical properties improved because of the presence of a small amount of CNF (1 wt%). This work demonstrates the importance of the addition of a natural biomodifier in a starch matrix to achieve better mechanical properties. Most importantly, this study highlights that lignocellulosic waste from the tequila industry can have a practical application, which is being a source of natural nanoreinforcements for preparation of all-biobased sustainable materials.

Keywords: Agave tequilana Weber; Cellulose nanofibrils; Mechanical properties; Nanocomposites; Thermocompression.