Isolation and characterization of micro and nanocrystalline cellulose fibers from the walnut shell, corncob and sugarcane bagasse.

The present study aims to extract and characterize the microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) present in different agro-industrial wastes such as walnut shells, corncob, and sugarcane bagasse. Moreover, it is also the aim of this study to convert MCCs to nanocrystalline cellulose fiber (NCCF), to demonstrate the difference in morphological, structural, thermal, and chemical natures. Corncob cellulose was observed to possess a loosely bounded linear bundle structure. Nanocrystalline cellulose fiber yield from walnut shell and sugarcane bagasse cellulose were higher than corncob cellulose. The thermal stability of cellulose was noted to be high for walnut shell NCCF. Nanocrystalline cellulose fiber of corncob and sugarcane bagasse was estimated to have a low thermal degradation temperature. All the MCCs and NCCFs produced from investigated cellulose sources were found to have type I cellulose. Functional group compositions of cellulose were observed to be intact for converted agro-based NCCF's.