EXTRACTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOCELLULOSE FROM PONGAMIA PINNATA OIL MEAL

"Studies on cellulose/nanocellulose obtained from oil meals are very limited, but present interest and have scientific significance, since the structure, properties and performance may be different from those of other cellulose or nanocellulose types. Thus, the main objective of this work was to extract nanocellulose from an unconventional source – oil meal. Oil meals contain about 20-25% carbohydrates, but the structure and properties of the cellulose from oil meals has not been reported so far. In this research, we have extracted nanocellulose (particles and fibers) from Pongamia pinnata oil meal by alkali treatment, bleaching, and acid treatment. The cellulose obtained after bleaching and the final nanocellulose achieved after acid treatment were thoroughly characterized to determine their composition, structure and properties. Morphological studies using TEM and AFM proved the presence of nanostructures in the form of nanoparticles and nanorods. The average effective diameter and mean zeta potential, according to dynamic light scattering experiments, were found to be 338 nm and -13.3 mV, respectively. The weight average molecular weight and degree of polymerization obtained from SEC MALLS were 54,300 and 335, respectively. Higher thermal stability and reduced crystallinity of nanocellulose, in comparison with cellulose, were observed. Overall, a comparative report on the characterization of nanocellulose extracted from Pongamia pinnata, with its respective cellulose, has been provided here."