Abstract:
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are
nanomaterials derived from cellulose, which is the
main component of plant cell walls. Nanocrystals are
obtained through a process of mechanical or chemical
treatment that breaks down cellulose fibres into
smaller dimensions at the nanoscale. This study aims
to investigate the hydrolysis of filter paper into
cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) using 60% (w/w)
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and identify the characteristics of
the extracted CNCs. Filter papers are made from 100%
premium pre-treated and high-quality cellulose fibres.
The pulverized filter paper mixed the 60% (w/w)
sulfuric acid in MLR 1:20 with strong agitation, and
the mixture was heated at 50°C for 120 minutes. The
mixture was diluted with cold distilled water in a 1:10
ratio to stop hydrolysis. The resulting mixture was
centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 15 minutes to separate the
CNCs. The precipitate was washed with distilled water
using a dialysis membrane until the pH reached
neutral. The properties of extracted CNCs have been
discovered by Transmission Electron Microscopy
(TEM) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)
analysis and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The
results of TEM analysis showed the needle-shaped
morphology of CNCs and sizes ranging from 15–30
nm in diameter to 100–300 nm in length. The FTIR
results revealed the functional groups present in the
extracted CNCs. The XRD diffraction results showed
the crystalline structure of the extracted CNCs. The
results indicate that filter paper can be used as a source
of cellulose for CNC extraction.
