Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Iranian Scientists Use Waste Cotton Fibers to Produce Cellulose Nanoparticles

Home > Press > Iranian Scientists Use Waste Cotton Fibers to Produce Cellulose Nanoparticles

Abstract:
Iranian researchers from Amir Kabir University of Technology managed to synthesize cellulose nanoparticles by using two environment-friendly processes.

Iranian Scientists Use Waste Cotton Fibers to Produce Cellulose Nanoparticles

Tehran, Iran | Posted on July 29th, 2014

The use of waste cotton fibers for the production of cellulose nanoparticles is among the interesting points in this research.

In addition to biodegradability and the ability to be recovered and re-used, cellulose nanoparticles are light and cheap, and they have very desirable mechanical properties. Therefore, they have high potential to be used in pharmaceutics, foodstuff, cosmetics, paper production and composite manufacturing.

Dr. Tayyebeh Fattahi Mei-abadi, one of the researchers, explained about the advantages of this method over the usual methods, and said, "In this project, spherical cellulose nanoparticles were produced from waste cotton fibers through enzyme hydrolysis and ultrasound methods. Acidic hydrolysis is usually used in the majority of the researches on the production of cellulose nanoparticles. This method is not in agreement with environmental issues, and it leaves byproducts. But in this research, enzyme hydrolysis method was used, which enables the production of nanoparticles under mild condition without any environmental damage, and it does not require specific equipment. In addition, ultrasonic process was carried out with low energy in a short period, which makes cost-effective the production of cellulose nanoparticles through this method."

In the production of the nanoparticles, various parts of cellulose enzyme were attached to cellulose chains, and they started to hydrolyze crystalline and amorphous areas. As hydrolysis goes on, particles with average size of 520 nm are formed. Then, ultrasound energy converts the hydrolyzed fibers into nanoparticles at about 70 nm in size.

Results of the research have been published in details in Powder Technology, vol. 261, July 2014, pp. 232-240.

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