Extraction of cellulose nanofiber from waste papers and application to reinforcement in biodegradable composites

Cellulose nanofibers have shown great potential to improve mechanical and physical properties in polymer-based composites. We aimed to extract the cellulose nanofibers from waste newspaper as a high-yield cellulosic source. First the newspaper was treated chemically and physically in order to extract individualized cellulose nanofibers from their cellulosic matrix. Then acid hydrolysis and mechanical treatments resulted in the cellulose nanofibers of diameter between 10 and 40 nm. The reinforcing effect of obtained cellulose nanofibers from waste newspaper was investigated by composing with a starch-based dispersion-type biodegradable resin CP-300, Miyoshi Oil & Fat Co. Ltd, Japan. Commercially available cellulose nanofiber-reinforced composites were used as comparison to newspaper cellulose nanofiber-reinforced composites. The tensile test results show significant enhancement in mechanical properties of reinforced composites for both composites. However, commercially available cellulose nanofiber-reinforced composites showed greater enhancement than newspaper cellulose nanofiber-reinforced composites.