Micro/nanostructured lignonanocellulose obtained from steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse

This work demonstrates the isolation of lignocellulose micro-nanofibrils, nanocrystals and nanospheres from steam-exploded sugarcane bagasse (SEB). First, steam-explosion was carried out in at 195 °C for 7.5 15 min (SEB-7.5 SEB-15). Untreated also pretreated by mechanical refining (MRB) a PFI mill comparison. Then, SEB MRB fibers were subjected to alkaline delignification, hypochlorite bleaching 60 or 180 (HB60 HB180), enzymatic hydrolysis (endoglucanase), high-pressure homogenization. The resulting materials characterized regarding chemical composition high-performance liquid chromatography, width morphology transmission electron microscopy, crystallinity X-ray powder diffraction aspect ratio (length/diameter) rheology. Levels glucans (mostly cellulose), hemicelluloses lignin were: 53.8%, 19.7% 11.6% MRB-HB180; 87.8%, < 0.1% 7.2% SEB-7.5-HB60; 84.3%, 4.8% SEB-7.5-HB180, 85.9%, 8.4% SEB-15-HB60; 82.2%, 5% SE-15-HB180, respectively. Aspect ratios indexes similar among all groups (~ 100 ~ 73%, respectively), except SE-15-HB180 78.5 77%, respectively). MRB-HB180 SE-15 HB180) had lowest fiber widths (< 20 nm) with presence while SE-7.5 greater than 50 nm SE-7.5-HB60. Hence, nanomaterials ranging micro/nanofibers isolated using cost-effective production process.